Deja Vu
by jelispar
Summary: Enter the epilogue! Yay! Since some of you asked for it, here it is. If its awful, i'm sorry but its 2 a.m.
1. Entry

  
"I swear Forge, I'll get you back for this." The girl hissed between her teeth, as she lay sprawled on the ground, looking up at the spatial anomaly that had deposited her in this particular woodsy area. "Friggin' genius, figure he'd get his toys to work right." At least she had hit the right drop off, just outside of the area scanners and just out of view of the mansion, which she knew, sat due east from her position. Sneaking up behind the well hidden camera, she rerouted it to watch the opposite direction in which she would be going, praying that nobody was watching the films at that moment. Grabbing her duffel bag she made a run for the towering mansion, layout plans, security system codes, and ventilation routes spinning through her head at a mile a minute. Reaching the pool, to the mansion's left; she slunk along the wing, trusting her proximity to the windows to keep her from being seen. "Had to do this in daylight didn't we." She muttered as she reached the keypad on the side door.  
  
She wouldn't be able to shut down the security system from here. However, she had been entrusted with her mother's former entrance code, and any video being taped would not question a woman with red and white hair entering this code. It was once she got inside the mansion that was the tough part. It was her brother's job to shut off the main security system inside the mansion while she played assassin. She hated it. "Why does he get to play thief?" She whispered inching slowly down the overly open and bright hallway. "Shit!" She swore at the sound of footsteps coming from the right alcove, and ducked into the nearest door to avoid notice.  
  
"Hey chere!" She heard from behind her, as she turned in dread to face the one person she had hoped to avoid. "What wrong?" He asked in concern heading towards her.  
  
Why him? She silently asked the gods as she put on a falsely bright smile and sauntered over to the counter next to the refrigerator. Why here? "Nothin' Remy." She answered brightly. "Just a little hungry. That a crime around here?" Opening the fridge door she tried to suppress a shudder. Unfortunately the one thing she hadn't inherited was her mother's taste in food.  
  
"Course not chere." Gambit smiled as he walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Can Remy get you anythin'?" He whispered into her ear as he nuzzled her shoulder gently.  
  
Gabrielle tried desperately not to vomit. "No thanks swamp rat." She shrugged him off nonchalantly and reached into the freezer grabbing a carton of ice cream on impulse. Opening the silverware drawer and taking out a spoon she silently thanked Forge for making her memorize the entire layout of the mansion, including which drawers were used for what. Turning back to face her father, Gabrielle opened the carton and held it out to him. "Want some?" She asked innocently.  
  
"Non, dat's okay." Remy remarked as he headed out of the kitchen, obviously slightly put off by her reaction to his affectionate gestures. "I'll leave y' to your choc'late fudge ripple." With that he closed the door behind him, and Gabby put everything back, sighing with relief. Behind her she heard the window open, and spun to look straight into her brother's face.  
  
"Gabby!" He laughed. "Puttin' the moves on Dad!"  
  
"Shut up Luc! Don' need any teasin'." She reached up and wiped the sweat off her forehead absently. "Dat was close!"  
  
The new accent just made Luc smile. "You gotta stay away from him though, seriously Gabs. You're startin' ta talk cajun again." He shook his head; leaning comfortably against the kitchen table, looking so much like their father it was scary. "This is a lot harder than I thought. Took me a good twenty minutes to get security off-line. Never seen anything like it though, it's good. Dad sure covered all the bases." Noticing that Gabrielle was still noticeably shaken he walked over and hugged her gently. "Just be a little more careful Gabs, it's like Dad always said."  
  
"Stupid t'ief's a dead t'ief." She intoned on command.  
  
"An' it looks like yer dead." They didn't even hear the door open as the mysterious mutant flung himself at them. Instantly Luc used his surface shifting powers to rip the floor up in one big sheet, Gabby charging it with her static electricity powers. Wrapping it around the man literally fried him alive. However, their attention was on the attack from their left. Neither noticed the red laser beams aimed at them until it was too late, and all either saw after that was black.  



	2. Assassins in the Parade

Jean Grey Summers settled herself in a chair at the head of the unconscious boy's bed, then plunged herself straight into the boy's mind.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Luc smiled as he looked out onto the parade below him. It was Mardi Gras, and the city had never felt more alive. He watched in awe as a troupe of jugglers on stilts walked down the streets, deftly avoiding the tourists that literally choked the roads. Steel drum music wafted up gently from somewhere below, and he yelped in pain as somebody tripped into him. "Gabby!" He yelled turning away from the window. "Watch what y' doin'."  
  
"Sorry Luc." She smiled back at him; "I'm playin' make-pretend."  
  
Luc just shook his head and turned back to watch the parade. "What are you pretending?" He heard Bishop ask from the corner where he crouched. It seemed Bishop was always crouching in corners, like he was afraid of being seen.  
  
"Bout the party tonight." Gabrielle answered, twirling absently around the room. "Grand-pear's gonna buy me a new dress, an' I'll meet my Prince Charming."  
  
"Grand-pere!" Luc shouted from his seat by the window, correcting her pronunciation. "Sides, how you know he gonna buy you a dress?" Luc shouted over his shoulder.  
  
"A cuz, he always buys me a new dress. An' this year maybe Carmine'll get one too." She laughed as she continued twirling around the room. Carmine just looked up from her coloring book and giggled before concentrating on adding another scribble directly over some cartoon character's face.  
  
"Who'd want to be your Prince Charming?" Luc mumbled, then returned to his gazing out on the parade. He watching as a group of voodoo dancers passed by, and was so preoccupied by the sight he didn't realize his father was in the room until he heard Gabrielle's high pitched screech.  
  
"Papa!" She screeched and flew like a rocket to cling at his legs. "Papa, didja get me somethin'?" She asked him.  
  
Laughing, Remy picked up the little girl and hugged her close. "We talked bout dis p'tite." Remy said, tapping her on the nose. "I can't be buyin' ya somethin' every time I walk out dat door. Yer gonna put me in the poor house!"  
  
Gabby just giggled. "Guess what I've been doin Papa?" She asked him.  
  
"Why don't ya tell me." Remy said, as he sat down on the couch opposite Luc.  
  
"I've been dancin', and pretendin' I was at the party. Watch!" She cried as she started twirling in circles faster and faster until she knocked herself over.  
  
"I see." He said, trying desperately to keep a straight face. Absently he reached for Carmine and sat her down on his knee. "An' what you been doin', ma petite ange?"  
  
"Color!" Carmine shouted as she lifted her marker-covered hands up to his face.  
  
"I can see dat." Remy laughed as he looked over the multi-colored baby and down to the multi-colored carpet. "Everyt'ing been alright, Bishop?" Remy asked, looking over at the boy in the corner.  
  
"Yessir. I gave her the markers so she couldn't eat them like she did the crayons." He managed to say it seriously. "I'm sorry about the carpet though."  
  
"Dat's okay, I kinda like it." Remy smiled as he returned the baby to her coloring mess, and went to look out over Luc's shoulder, resting a hand protectively on his head. "An' what y' been doin', mon fils?" Remy asked him in an almost whisper.  
  
"Watchin' de parade, Papa." Luc answered into his father's warm red eyes. "Can I go down dere? I wanna see what happens during Mardi Gras."  
  
Remy stepped back and looked into his six-year-old's face. "Y' t'ink y' be ready for Mardi Gras?" He asked seriously. "It gets kinda crazy down dere."  
  
"I know Papa." Luc pleaded. "Please?! I just want to see what it's like down there. I love Mardi Gras, please?"  
  
Remy sized the boy up for a minute then shook his head; "Alright Luc, but you stick right by me, and no matter what y' don' let go of my hand. Understand?"  
  
"Thank you Papa!" Luc shouted as he ran across the room to tackle his father's legs. "I'll do whatever you say!"  
  
Remy just laughed, and slung Luc up on his back.  
  
"Papa!" Gabrielle shouted from her position on the floor. "I want to see the Marty Grass too!"  
  
"Non p'tite. Y' too young still. Mebbe next year, mon petite amour." With that Remy and Luc left the apartment and headed out onto the streets.  
  
The sights and sounds surrounding him amazed Luc, and from the vantage-point of his father's shoulders he could see most of what was going on. But he was only up there for a short time before Remy brought him down, following a group of people Luc vaguely recognized into a deserted back alley. "What y' want Lapin?" Remy asked his cousin, whom Luc now recognized as Uncle Rabbit. "What be so important?"  
  
Lapin just looked at the ground, tears silently falling onto the pavement. "Assassins in the parade." He muttered as he pulled out a sword that looked suspiciously like his grand-pere's and handed it to Remy.  
  
"Assassins!" Luc shouted and ran for the mouth of the alley to watch them pass by.  
  
"Luc!" His father yelled after him, grabbing him by the back of his shirt and dragging him back down the alley towards the other men.  
  
"But Uncle Rabbit said dere were assassins." Luc tried to reason. "I never seen one b'fore."  
  
"Dere's no assassins Luc." Remy answered dully as he took the sword out of Lapin's hands.  
  
"But..." Luc tried to argue before his father cut him off.  
  
"I don' care what Uncle Lapin said!" Remy shouted at the boy. "I'm ya father, y' do what I say, now stay with Cousin Christophe. Y' hear!"  
  
"Yessir." Luc mumbled to the dirty paved alley floor as he watched his father take off in almost a panicked run.  
  
"Come on Luc." Cousin Christophe smiled as he took his hand. "We're gonna take y' back to de estate."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Jean shook her head as she pulled herself out of the boy's psyche. Looking over at her husband on the other side of the table she gave him a weak smile as she stared down at the face of the boy in front of her. "Wow," she mouthed silently.  
"What is it Jean?" Scott asked worriedly, taking her hand and massaging it gently.  
"Who knew Remy would make such a great father." She almost laughed at the look on Scott's face after she said it. "Scott, meet Luc Henri LeBeau, Remy's son."  
Scott tried to get his mouth to work twice before he finally got the words out. "Name certainly gives it away, huh?" Scott stared in shock at the boy in front of him, tall and lanky, definitely Gambit's build. The white streaks in his hair, well Scott could guess where they came from. "Rogue's too?" He asked over their link. Jean nodded. "And the other?" Scott continued.  
"Too soon to tell." Jean answered back. "But I would assume so, from what I saw of her I'd say the two are definitely related, and she's in his memories as an annoying younger sister."  
"Guess that clinches it." Scott stood up and walked away from the table switching back to verbal communication. "No clue why they're here though?"  
"Guarded." Jean responded. "Pretty heavily too. Whoever did it is better than I am."  
Scott sighed, "So who?"  
Jean let out a short laugh and looked into Scott's visor. "Remy." She answered, taking his hand in hers on the way out the door. "Team meeting time?"  
Scott nodded and led her down the hall to the War Room.  



	3. Job for Professionals

  
Gabrielle opened her eyes suddenly to see a metal ceiling above and tubes surrounding her. Sitting up, she almost fell back on the table as a wave of nausea rolled over her. "Damn sedatives." She mumbled as she swung her legs over once side of the examining table, trying to decide if they were strong enough to hold her full weight yet.  
  
She was still testing them when the lights in the room flicked on suddenly, causing her overly sensitive eyes to close and pain to sear across her head. "I see our patient is up." A male voice greeted her from somewhere straight-ahead. It sounded friendly and familiar, yet she couldn't seem to place it.  
  
"Yah." She grumbled back, giving up on trying to puzzle out who exactly was so grateful to see her. "Wanna turn these lights down? I'd like to at least know who my captor is." She shouted at the person from her prone position on the table.  
  
"Of course, so sorry." The voice responded and the lights dimmed enough that she could open her eyes with minimal pain. "I should have realized with your photosensitive optical apparatus that my examining lights would be far to bright for you. Especially after waking from such a drug induced slumber as we put you in."  
  
It was the vocabulary that clicked the owner of the voice's identity in place, just before his blue furry head appeared directly in front of her. "So how are we feeling?" He asked genially.  
  
"Uncle Hank?" She whispered, feeling the need to shake her head to be sure, but knowing at the same time what kind of a migraine that would cause.  
  
"Do I know you, my dear?" The bespectacled doctor asked, rather taken aback.  
  
"Never mind." She muttered. "Wouldn't believe me if I told you." Frowning the doctor decided to drop it and continue with her physical exam.  
  
Stripping himself of his gloves and jotting some notes on a clipboard close by; he looked up at her. "You seem to be in perfect health."  
  
"Thanks." She muttered slipping her feet back into the combat boots that had been left at the foot of her gurney. "Always good to hear. What about my brother?"  
  
"Ah!" Hank responded, "the tall boy you were found with. He's still out like the proverbial light." At the look of panic on her face Beast reached out and placed a large hand on her shoulder. "Rest assured he is perfectly fine. Not as quick as you seem to be at recoveries I'm afraid."  
  
"No." She acknowledged while she stretched her shoulders. "So what exactly is going to happen to us here?" She said, staring a hole through Dr. McCoy's lab-coat.  
  
"I'm afraid that has yet to be decided." Hank smiled at the attractive young woman. "It depends upon your reasons for being here of course."  
  
"Of course." Gabrielle muttered under her breath as she watched her uncle Hank spin a tube that looked like it held blood. Probably her own, she thought as she sat waiting patiently, not knowing what else to do. "Can I ask what you're doing?" She said, swinging her legs to and fro. If anybody tried anything, the momentum would give her a good kick, she told herself rationalizing her need to fidget while she waited for an answer.  
  
"Extracting a strand of your DNA." Hank smiled, taking a drop of plasma and placing it on a slide, which he then stuck under a microscope.  
  
"Why?" She asked nervously, now starting to chew habitually on her fingernails.  
  
"Checking for Legacy." He stated, as if it was obvious, and she let him return to his work trying hard not to laugh at his back. He had been the person to administer the Legacy vaccine to her when she was born after all.  
  
"I'd like to see my brother soon." She said to his back while he scanned through the high powered microscope.  
  
"Of course." Hank replied, adjusting his glasses a slight bit. "Through the door to your left. I advise you not to try and leave the lab however, we have your energy signature in the computer and the alarms will sound if you attempt it." He paused for a minute before adding. "And yes, we do have the security systems back up and operational."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Gambit and Archangel sat in the security control room almost in awe. "Don' know how dey did dis." Remy muttered under his breath, typing in codes and watching the computer go through the corresponding diagnostics.  
  
"What do you mean?" Warren replied from his point of realigning and adjusting the security cameras.  
  
"It's clean Warren!" Gambit cried out frustrated. "No hackin', no dismantlin', not even any tamperin'." He typed in a new series of codes and watched the system respond and come back online.  
  
"That's impossible, Gambit." Warren said, looking over his shoulder at the Cajun. "They had to have done something to it, you need a retina scan just to access the mainframe."  
  
"I know." Remy whistled, finishing with the last initialization sequence. "Unless y' got de code line dat de computer registers your retina as. And dat's damn near impossible to get ahold of. Den dey jus' used de shutdown codes to turn de damn t'ing off! Dese ain't jus' kids, dese're professionals."  
  
"You gettin' at something Remy?" Warren snickered while he realigned the last of the security camera's infrared sensors.  
  
"Yah, even I can' hack into dis 'ere computer, an' I helped design de damn t'ing!" He spun around in his chair and got up to leave the room.  
  
"Professional jealousy?" Warren laughed.  
  
"Damn right!" Remy shouted as he left the room.  



	4. Now I Know You're Crazy

"Ugh!" He groaned as he sat up in what looked to him like sick bay in Star Trek.  
  
"Finally!" A female voice next to him sighed. "How long were you plannin' on stayin' out?"  
  
"Gabby?" He gasped as a pain in his side sent sharp spasms through his body, and his eyes unfocused, then focused in again on the person next to him. "Where are we?"  
  
"The mansion, remember?" She asked as she watched him try to shake off his dizziness. "We got caught."  
  
"Dammit." Luc coughed. Most of the pain seemed to be focused along his left side. "Now I do. Who tagged us?"  
  
"Woverine and Cyclops." Gabrielle muttered, sickened with herself. "Papa would not be impressed. Too late to worry about that now though. Can you walk?" She asked as she reached over to give her brother a hand down from the examination table.  
  
"I'll pretend." He said through gritted teeth as another spasm went through his body. "I think I've got some minor burns along my side, nothin' too bad. Can you help me?"  
  
Gabrielle slipped herself under Luc's left side, trying not to touch any of the sore areas. "That good?" He nodded in reply and the two walked back into the main lab room. "Dr. McCoy!" Gabrielle shouted, once he was in sight. "I thought you said my brother was alright!"  
  
* * * * *  
  
The door to the War Room hissed shut behind him, and Scott looked around the table at all the assembled X-Men. He noticed Logan was still holding himself a little stiff, probably waiting for the last of the burns to heal up. The next person he looked to was Gambit, who was lounging back in his chair, flipping a deck of cards back and forth. *This is going to shake him up.* Scott thought. Meeting eyes with everyone else in the room, he started, "We have a problem here." Logan let out a snicker and Scott continued. "I don't know how much all of you know, so I'll start from the beginning, or at least what I assume is the beginning. Two kids broke into the mansion this afternoon." That statement turned most of the heads in the room.  
  
"But our security systems." Storm began.  
  
"I'll let Gambit tell you what happened there." Scott answered her and gave the floor over to Remy.  
  
"All I can say is dat whoever dey are, somebody trained em good." Remy began. "Dey worked in a team, one takin' down de system while de ot'er one got whatever it is dey were lookin' for. I actually had a run in wit de girl, fore dey fried Wolvie." Remy smiled over at Logan, who snarled back. "But it's what dey did t' de security system dat got me curious as all hell."  
  
"What'd they do?" Rogue asked from her seat next to Gambit.  
  
"Dey shut it down." Remy answered. "No hackin' or tamperin', it was like someone gave 'em de codes so dey could just turn it off."  
  
"That's right, Gambit. They were given the shut down codes for the interior security system." Scott finished for him, shooting him a cold look. "You did."  
  
"Quoi!" Remy shouted, jumping to his feet. "Y' crazy Cyke. Why would I do a t'ing like dat?" He spat out.  
  
"I suppose this is where I come in." Jean stood, taking the focus off of her husband and Gambit. "I've scanned the boy that was caught. You gave him the security codes before you sent him here Remy."  
  
"Dis is ridiculous!" He shouted, turning to leave the room. "I know y' don' trust me, but I ain' stupid."  
  
"Remy wait!" Jean said, reaching over and placing a calming hand on his arm. "This may sound confusing but, you aren't the one who gave them the codes it was another you."  
  
"Now I know y' crazy." Remy stated as he sat back down in his chair. "I'm listening."  
  
"Can I take a guess?" Bobby asked into the tense silence.  
  
"Sure Bobby." Scott said, "Go right ahead."  
  
Nodding Bobby stood up. "Strangers appear on our doorstep, we don't know who they are or what they want, but they seem to know an awful lot about us. Sounds too familiar to me, every time something like this happens there's only one answer, time travelers!" He shouted at those around the table. "Come back to right some terrible wrong in the past to fix the future." Smiling at everybody around the table he sat back down again.  
  
"Bobby crazy too." Remy muttered.  
  
"Actually," Jean looked at Bobby in shock, "he's right."  
  
"Oh come on Jean." Rogue shouted, pounding her fists into the table. "Isn't this whole time travel thang getting' a little old? Who are they really and what do they want?"  
  
"They're both blocked, I'm afraid I couldn't get that far." Jean admitted. "The only thing I can think of is confronting them and asking."  
  
"So they can lie to our faces?" Warren asked incredulously.  
  
"In every good lie there's a bit of truth." Scott said. "Maybe if we could get them to talk we could piece the truth together for ourselves." Heads slowly started nodding around the table. "I guess that settles it then. Tomorrow morning we'll bring them in for questioning. Everyone's dismissed."  
  
As the team filed out of the War Room Jean grabbed Scott and pulled him aside. "Scott, shouldn't we tell Remy what else we found out?"  
  
Scott sighed and looked into his wife's face. "Before the meeting tomorrow, we'll tell them both. I'm actually wondering if we shouldn't just have them question the kids. They might tell them more than they'd tell us." With that the two left and the door hissed closed behind them.  



	5. Cruel and Unusual Punishment

  
"Scott!" Rogue yelled as she looked down on the duo inside the Danger Room. "Y'all are actin' like they're threats to humanity. They're just kids." She looked down in sympathy on the two teenagers sitting in the middle of the floor below. Both were being held by some kind of restraints that Gambit had rigged so as to be impossible to get out of. The girl obviously was sporting a suppression collar, the boy held himself like he was in a lot of pain, and both were blindfolded.  
  
"I'm being cautious Rogue." Scott responded, pointing down at his prisoners. "These 'kids' broke into our house and managed to shut down security like it was nothing. Who knows what they're capable of. I don't want to take any chances."  
  
"He's right, chere." Remy added from his position, leaning against the back wall. "Dose two could do a lot of damage. Girl almost short circuited de Danger Room as it is. Dat's why she wearin' de collar. An' de boy can't be movin' no floor he can' see."  
  
"Ah know." Rogue whispered, wringing her hands. "Somehow it just don't seem right."  
  
"It's for your protection Rogue." Jean commented behind her. "We won't be able to do anything to stop them once you're alone in there." Jean looked back to the children sitting indian style on the floor. "But before you go down there," Jean said, looking from Rogue to Gambit and back again. "There is something you should know."  
  
"What's dat Jean?" Remy asked nonchalantly, looking through the observation window while he sized the teens up.  
  
Letting out a sigh she looked at the back of Remy's head. "These aren't just random kids from the future." She said. "The reason we're sending you two down to question them rather than just doing it ourselves is because..." She stopped short and took a deep breath, once again looking from one to the other. "They're your children."  
  
Remy's head snapped away from the window to burn holes in Jean's head while Rogue's mouth dropped in shock for a few minutes until she recovered. "That's not funny Jean! You an' I both know ah can't have kids, so don't rub it in." With that Rogue turned on her heel and stalked out of the room.  
  
"Dat," Remy spat out at her as he followed after Rogue. "Dat was cold Jean. An' here I t'ought at least you had a heart." Minutes later the two appeared below in the Danger Room side by side.  
  
It was obvious that Rogue had been fighting back tears and Remy was practically fuming as he flipped Scott the bird through the window. "We knew they wouldn't take it well." Scott commented to Jean as he watched them stalk over to the prisoners.  
  
"I suppose its always a shock to find out you'll eventually have children." She stated dryly. "Especially when they come back from the future to meet you."  
  
Scott let out a short snort. "Tell me about it. Sometimes I'm still convinced I couldn't be Nathan's father."  
  
* * * *  
  
Gabrielle wouldn't give up testing her restraints, but she was starting to believe that she really couldn't get out of them. Luc had given up fighting with them half an hour ago, all the movement was making his side ache worse and if he even managed to get out he'd still be at the mercy of whoever had trapped them in this room.  
  
"Gabby?" Luc hissed, back to his sister. "Any luck?" The disgruntled huff from behind him more than answered his question. "Give it up sis. We're not getting out of here by ourselves."  
  
Gabby hissed and came very close to screaming as she muttered, "T'ings would've gone fine. God damn, mother fuckin' Uncle Logan. Next time I see 'im, I gonna slit his damn throat, the fuckin' bastard!" She twisted her left arm up and around so that it was backwards, but there was still no room to maneuver. "I'm tellin' ya, I'll slit Logan's fuckin' throat."  
  
"Wouldn' suggest it, p'tite." A new, yet all too familiar voice replied from her left. "Don' t'ink you'd get away b'fore he healed up."  
  
The voice had made both siblings freeze, near panic. It was impossible to tell how much Gambit knew from what he was saying, and they'd never been able to lie to their father anyway. However, it was the second voice that had Luc near tears. "That's right, shugah. O' course, ya'd have ta git past me first anyway."  
  
"Mama," he whispered, head swiveling towards his left to face the voices owner. Then louder so everybody could hear, "I want this blind fold off!"  
  
"Fraid not, mon frere." Then there was a muffled argument, accentuated with the words. "let 'im take it off." Hands gently reached behind his head and unknotted the fabric, letting it fall down into his lap. Looking up from the floor Luc looked into the eyes of a woman he hadn't seen since he was six years old.  



	6. Stop it Papa!

  
  
Rogue looked down into the red on black eyes and felt herself almost pass out, they were so close to Remy's that it was scary. "There ya go sugah." She whispered to the boy. He smiled back at her charmingly. * A little too much like Remy. * She thought.  
  
"Thank you." He whispered back, looking deep into her eyes like he could see the bottom of her very soul. It was an almost haunting experience, broken only by the girl next to him.  
  
"Yah!" She all but shouted. "Nice of y' ta help him an' all, but dis t'ing be chafin' me too, if y' know what I'm sayin'." By the look of her wrists, the blindfold wasn't the only thing chafing against her skin, her wrists looked almost raw. Rogue was sure they'd have to bring her to Hank by the time this meeting was over.  
  
"Sure." Remy muttered. "Why not." A bit too roughly for Rogue's taste Remy removed the girl's blindfold as well, and stood back to defiantly meet her glare.  
  
"Gee thanx." She hissed, emerald green eyes flashing at him, until the elbow in her rib broke the stare. "Luc!"  
  
"Behave Gabby." The boy spat back at the girl. "Rogue. Gambit." He acknowledged each with a nod of his head. "Wish I could say it was pleasant to meet you under these circumstances."  
  
It took Rogue by surprise that he knew their names, but she figured somebody had probably let them know who'd be coming down to question them. She was about to respond somewhat politely along the same line when Remy beat her to it.  
  
"Cut de crap kid. Y' know why yer here." He walked over and grabbed the boy by the hair, forcibly dragging him to his feet. Rogue couldn't help but notice him wince in pain at the handling. "How'd y' break de security?" Remy shook him once for emphasis, causing the boy to grunt. "Huh?" Raising his hand toward the boy's face, the young man winced and turned away.  
  
"Stop it Papa!" The girl suddenly yelled, struggling to her feet and managing to shove herself between the two men. "Stop it! Y' never hit us as kids, why start now." In shock Remy dropped the boy, but it wasn't the girl's words that shocked Rogue, it was the look in her eyes. Eyes the same as her own openly displaying fear mixed liberally with open admiration, loyalty, and yes even love. "Stop it." She whispered, bending down to help her brother collect himself. "Luc's already hurt enough."  
  
"Non." Remy muttered to himself as he backed away from the teens, and out of the room. "Non, dis can't be happenin'. Dis ain' real." As he reached the door he slammed on the control pad and ran out of the Danger Room shouting. "Dey tryin' t' fuck wit my head!"  
  
Shaking, Rogue reached over and helped the boy right himself as the girl backed off to let her close. "Y'all right sugah?" She asked softly, the boy gave her a terse nod in response. "Y'all will hafta forgive Remy, he...um...over-reacts sometimes." She then turned to the girl who had herself balanced in a defensive stance. "Ah think ya should see Beast bout them wrists." She added, nodding toward the swollen red splotches around the girl's wrists. "He could probably do something for that." The girl gave a nod, but backed up when Rogue tried, as non-threateningly as possible, to get closer to her.  
  
* * * * *  
  
* I screwed up! * Gabrielle shouted in her head, as she slowly backed away from the advancing Rogue. * Man did I screw up big time. Papa said "not matter what don't let your mother or I know who you are." And what do I go and do? I'm an idiot, an incompetent idiot! *  
  
"If you'll let me." Rogue said to her, while her mind panicked. "I'd like ta take off those hand-cuff thangs, 'fore ya do more damage to yerself." Gabby's mind raced, while she continued to evade the woman.  
  
"For cripes sakes, Gabby!" She heard Luc shout, ripping through her consciousness, and focusing her thoughts. "Let her take off the god-damn hand-cuffs." Obediently Gabby stopped backing away, and warily eyed the woman as she removed the metal chains, freeing up Gabby's hands.  
  
"What's yah name sugah?" Rogue asked sweetly and soothingly as she walked Gabby back towards her brother.  
  
"Gabby." She responded meekly. "Gabrielle Irene LeBeau." For the first time since she'd been brought into this room Gabby got the courage to look up into her mother's face. Her green eyes met ones exactly like her own, and traced the outline of her mother's face, her nose, and her mouth. "Gosh, you're beautiful." She whispered, watching Rogue blush self-consciously. "Papa always said you were, said I reminded him of you but..." She regretted the sentence as soon as it came out, but Luc squeezed her arm encouragingly. "But you're so much prettier."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Luc smiled, watching his sister look at their mother in awe. He himself had trouble remembering some of the details about her now that she'd been dead ten years, but he knew that Gabby had a much more difficult time remembering anything at all. His sister had only been three when their mother had died, and the few memories she had of Rogue were faint and fuzzy, like trying to look at something through a foot of water. As a child, Gabby had often asked him and his father to describe Rogue over and over again to the point that it became almost an obsession. Luc never tired of describing his mother's beautiful green eyes ("Like me?" Gabby would usually squeak with delight), and her wavy hair. He loved to describe how nice and warm her hugs felt. Their father on the other hand normally tried to avoid the topic, just telling Gabby that her mother was a beautiful angel whom she reminded him of. Luc had to admit that seeing his mother as an angel was always comforting, though he had problems imagining her with wings. However, watching this exchange between mother and daughter was almost magical, and Luc wished that the smile on his sister's face would never go away. She was always so pretty when she was happy.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Looks like this was a productive meeting." Robert Drake quipped from the control room door. "Not that I don't think Gambit screaming like a lunatic is pretty funny. It is. But weren't you guys sposed to get some answers here?"  
  
Scott used every ounce of will power he had left to keep from banging his head repeatedly against the control panel in front of him. "I warned him." Scott mumbled before turning to Jean. "Now what do we do?"  
  
Jean just shook her head. "The only thing I can think of is using Cerebro to pull the story out of their heads, and display it for everyone to see." She looked down at her hands, absently pulling at a hangnail. "I'd feel horrible doing it though, Scott. And it could take a while. I'd have to sift through all their memories." She looked over at Bobby before glancing back at Scott. "It's a horrible invasion of privacy, and everything I see will be displayed for the rest of the team to witness. I'll do it if they understand the procedure and agree to it." Scott reached to clasp her hand, but she pulled it away. "But only as a last resort."  



	7. I Promise Never to Let You Go Again

  
"I hope you two are ready." Jean said, looking uncomfortably over at the kids laying on the tables in front of her. They both nodded, and Jean took a deep breath before reaching over and tapping her comm badge. "I'm ready when you are Scott."  
  
"Go ahead Jean, we're waiting." His voice came back over the link. "Be careful." He added mentally to her before she once again plunged into the boy's psyche.  
  
* * * *  
  
In the War Room, the team sat restlessly around the table, most glancing over in Gambit's direction occasionally, while the cajun attempted to burn holes through the projection screen with his stare. Calmly Rogue placed a hand on his knee, but he glared at her as he shook it off. It was at that point that the images began on the screen. The first was the original picture of the children in New Orleans. Most let out surprised gasps at the sight of a fourteen year old Bishop. Then Jean's voice came over the system, telling them she was going to try and regress from this point, but Remy stopped her. "Let it play!" He shouted almost desperately. "I wanna know what happen to Jean-Luc."  
  
"I'm sorry Remy," Jean replied. "But they're the ones guiding me, they're pulling me backwards." Remy slammed his fist on the table, but continued to stare unblinking at the screen before him.  
  
* * * *   
  
"Patty-cake, patty-cake, baker's man. Bake me a cake as fast as y' can." The chubby toddler grinned while she clapped along to the rhyme.  
  
"Papa!" The little boy in the picture shouted, his long auburn hair hanging in his face. "Make 'em stop! Dey been doin' dis all day long." He sighed melodramatically, looking over to the man sitting in the overstuffed chair by the television.  
  
"Not now Luc." Remy's distinct voice answered. "If it be botherin' y' dat much go play in y' room. Not like y' don' have enough toys in dere t' keep ya busy." Remy turned around and looked at the boy over the back of the chair. "Jus' let me finish watchin' dis, den maybe I'll take ya out to test drive dat new go-cart, eh?" Remy's eyes flashed mischeivously, and the boy's mirrored his.  
  
"Yay!" He shouted as he ran off to his room, while hearing his mother shout in the background.  
  
"You bought him a what?!" Her voice even reached his room. "I swear Remy, yer gonna spoil these kids."  
  
Luc could almost hear his father's smile when he answered. "Rogue, chere, de boy's almost five. I t'ink he can handle a go-cart. Sides' it's an early birthday present."  
  
"Uh-huh." He heard his mother say as she walked out of the room. "An' on his birthday he'll be gettin' an early Christmas present I spose."  
  
Remy laughed back. "Course, chere. He's gotta have somethin' ta open on his birthday."  
  
* * * *  
  
"Mama?" The red haired girl asked the tall woman next to her. "Why is the aminals all in cages?" She pouted as she watched the monkeys swing around in what she thought was a too small space.  
  
"Cuz sweetie, if they weren't in cages they'd probably hurt themselves. This way the zoo-keeper can make sure they're not hurt or sick." The woman, who was obviously Rogue, smiled down at the little girl.  
  
"Oh." She stated, watching the monkeys continue to jump and hoot. "Mama, why don't we put Uncle Hank in a cage?"  
  
Rogue visibly tried not to laugh, her face turned bright red and tears actually started leaking down the sides of her face. "'Ello dere lovely ladies." Fortunately Rogue was saved from coming up with an answer.  
  
"Papa," the little girl tried again, looking almost directly up to see his face. "Why don't we put Uncle Hank in a cage?"  
  
Remy was not as good as Rogue at restraining himself, and started laughing hysterically. This caused Rogue to lose all control and start laughing herself. "I don't get it." The girl exclaimed, dramatically huffing and putting her chubby three-year old hands on her hips. "Uncle Hank looks jus' like those guys." By the time she turned back around, both her parents had collapsed onto the park bench across the walkway, heaving from the violent attack of laughing. "You people don' look too good. I think you need nap time." She said shaking her head at them, then grabbing them each by the arm and dragging them out of the zoo.  
  
* * * *  
  
The screen blacked out for a moment, while Jean caught her breath. "Got some cute kids there Gumbo." Logan laughed, reaching over and slapping Remy on the back, before pulling out a cigar and chomping on the end.  
  
"T'anks." Remy muttered, still staring intently at the screen, waiting for the next scene of events.  
  
"That's an idea, Hank!" Bobby shouted across the table. "Put you in cage!" The thought even made Ororo laugh, looking at Hank and imagining him surrounded by bars.  
  
"Just like an ape!" Warren added, turning an odd shade of purple while he laughed. "Ow!" He added when Betsy reached over and slapped him.  
  
"Absolutely hysterical gentlemen." Beast replied from the back of the room. "Now if you don't mind, this ape would like to pay attention to Mrs. Summers' show."  
  
"Come now, Henry." Storm choked, cutting off a laugh. "You know they don't mean it."  
  
"Shhhh!" Rogue hissed to everybody in the room. "Something's being shown."  
  
* * * *  
  
The room the children were in seemed to be covered in a gray palor, even though it was obvious that the colors in it were supposed to be bright and cheery. The little girl looked around in panic, until her eyes went to the door, and the source of the gray sheen became apparent. Black smoke crept in under the doorway, filling the room and making it difficult to breathe. Looking around the room she saw Bishop, laying on the floor, protectively holding a baby under him. Another little girl, probably still a baby herself, with blonde hair sat in the middle of the floor crying. Luc was standing by a window with his shoe, trying desperately to smash the glass. "Luc!" the little girl shouted to her brother. "Luc hurry!"  
  
Luc was the only one still standing in the room, his head barely visible through the black smoke. He coughed violently as his attempts at shattering the window became more and more feeble. Suddenly a blast sounded and blew the door to the room wide open. Smoke poured into the room, trying to strangle everybody inside. "Luc, duck!" She heard before she heard the sound of the glass shattering and felt somebody pick her up by the back of her overalls and fling her over a shoulder. "Bishop, grab Rachel!" Before she knew what was going on they were standing outside watching the mansion burn down to the foundation. The youngest girls were crying in the background, and a pair of red on black eyes were staring her in the face while strong hands shook her gently. "Gabby! Gabby, look at me."  
  
She finally woke out of the smoke induced trance and actually looked at her rescuer. "Papa." She squeaked. "Papa!" She shouted, hugging him desperately tight, as tight as her chubby little arms would allow.  
  
Warm tears fell on her head, and strong familiar arms surrounded her, lifting her off the ground and cradling her gently. "Y' safe, petite, y' safe. Thank you God, ma chere, ma petite fille. Ma beautiful little girl, y' safe. I'm here. Papa's here, an' I promise t' never let you go again."  
  
* * * *  
  
Hank blinked the tears out of his eyes and looked around at his fellow teammates. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was like watching an extremely touching movie with them all. The emotional ones like Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Bobby, and Sam were on their ninth or tenth kleenex already. The shock was seeing tears in Betsy's eyes, and even seeing Logan borrow a tissue off of Storm to blow his nose with. The only person in the room who didn't seem at all moved was Remy.  
  
Beast was about to go over to him, offer to talk later if he wanted. But before he could say boo, Remy was up and out of the room. "That's it folks." A choked up Jean Summers spoke over the comm-link. "That's the last thought I'm finding that includes anybody but...Remy? What are you doing in here?" The transmission cut off.  
  



	8. Ain't Nothin' to Explain

"Remy? What are you doing in here?" Jean asked, hand still clutching her comm-badge before Remy reached over and grabbed it off of her chest. He clutched it roughly then opened his clenched fist to reveal the remains of the badge to her. Smiling evilly he stalked toward her slowly, pushing her towards the door to the lab with his stare. "Gambit?" Jean stuttered nervously. "Gambit, maybe we can talk about this." She glanced over to the two teenagers just waking up out of their trances before returning her gaze to Gambit. She jumped as playing cards appeared in his hand from out of nowhere and began to give off a slight red glow, emphasizing his burning eyes. "Please Remy, we'll figure this all out." She shouted, bumping into the wall of the lab and feeling around desperately for the door.  
  
"Nuttin' ta figure out Jean." Remy smiled as the charge in his cards flared and he tossed them at the still prone figures on the lab gurneys.  
  
"NO!" Jean shouted, reaching out telekinetically to stop the cards' advance in vain. The three cards hit the floor in front of both gurneys and the charge in them slowly dissipated into nothingness. Yet still Gambit was advancing on her, stalking her like an animal. Before she found the keypad for the door he was on her, hands on either side of her head, blocking her retreat. She could hear the banging from the door that was now only two feet away. However, her attention was soon taken up with the heat coming from the wall on either side of her. In his cold fury Gambit was pumping a charge into the wall behind her, turning it into a time bomb.  
  
And still he smiled down at her coldly. "Tell me you made it all up." Her captor seethed at her, flaring then lowering the charge for emphasis. "Tell me it ain't true and I'll play nice." Jean caught the undertones in his voice and shivered. She opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off. "I said, tell me it ain' true Jean!" The heat surrounding her was beginning to become intense and his stare boring into her head was sending shivers down her spine. Sweat, from the heat and her nerves, was starting to roll off her forehead in salty beads.  
  
Then she realized what was going on. The X-Men had been aware that Gambit possessed some form of low level hypnotic abilities that he could use to manipulate emotions. He was now using this ability on her, taking her fear and magnifying it to the point that she was too afraid to think. As soon as she identified it, Jean neutralized it. Suddenly she was able to reason again and noticed the two children slowly circling towards her and Remy, silent as the air. Seconds later she heard the door to the lab swish open. "Jean!" She heard Cyclops shout her name and felt the heat intensify more in response as Gambit's head snapped over in Scott's direction. Breaking the staring contest, Jean was finally able to look towards the lab door. Scott stood no more than a foot and a half away, hand resting on the side of his visor. Logan was farther in, but still close, with his claws extended dangerously. Bobby was in ice form on the other side of her, hands on the wall trying to ice it and slow down the molecules Remy had charged in the process.  
  
"You don' get it do you!" Gambit shouted, pulling the charge out of the wall abruptly and turning to face the other X-Men surrounding him. "None a' you understand!" Remy looked over at the time travellers, a sick and sad look crossing his features as he sunk to his knees. "Please." He almost pleaded up at them. "Tell me it ain' true, dat dis don' mean what I t'ink."  
  
Luc walked up to the fallen man and placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, a knowing look settled in his eyes. "It's all true." Remy shook his head slowly and collapsed further, hugging himself, forehead touching the floor.  
  
Not looking up from his position on the floor Remy muttered, "I spose y' gonna tell me dat de guilds worked out de way dey were sposed to. Dat y' know bout de family history?"  
  
"Oui Papa." Luc whispered down to the broken figure on the floor. Kneeling gently next to him, Jean was shocked at the paradox of son comforting father. "That's why we're here." Luc said as he gathered the man up and supported him. "That's why you sent us back."  
  
"And why is that?" Scott shouted at the duo. "What family history?" Jean tried to restrain him, but Cyclops broke free and stomped righteously up to the two men. "Haven't you learned anything Gambit!" He practically fumed at the younger man. "Don't you know what can happen when you keep secrets!"  
  
Scott's words urged Gambit back up to his feet as he glared defiantly at his leader. "Non, Cyke. Mebbe I haven't." He spat. "How bout leavin' me in Antarctica f'r anot'er month! Mebbe I'll learn den!" Furious, Gambit flipped out on all of them. "What de hell is it bout me dat none o' ya c'n leave me alone! My secrets are none o' ya business. My family is none o' ya business."  
  
"Seems your secrets get a lot of people hurt." Iceman shouted from behind him. "Did you think we might have a right to know, just like with the Massacre."  
  
"Least it's jus' my secrets, 'stead of my insecurity, eh Drake?" Remy laughed at Iceman before staring Scott in the face. Luc and Gabby making themselves imposing figures to his left and right.  
  
Scott's hand twitched reflexively at his visor and Gabby arced electrical pulses between her hands imposingly in response. "Don't try anything." She snarled at Cyclops. "I won't let you hurt him."  
  
"This is ridiculous!" Logan shouted, stepping between the LeBeaus and the rest of the team, making them need to get through him to start anything. "We're letting this split us all up. If the Cajun doesn't want to tell us what's going on then that's fine." He turned to look at Remy meaningfully. "Let everything that happens be on his head. Otherwise, you'd better spill it Gumbo."  
  
Almost instantaneously Remy dropped out of his defensive stance and stood as if the weight of the world was resting on his shoulders. He glanced up at the members of the team in front of him and for a second the fear and despair written in his eyes scared Jean horribly. "I'll tell you everything." Remy mumbled, a beaten and broken man. "Just promise me one thing."  
  
"What's that Cajun?" Logan asked suspiciously.  
  
Remy let out a long sigh. "De story is long, and kinda convoluted. Even I don' know de whole t'ing. Mebbe dese two c'n fill in some of de parts I'm sketchy on." He shook his head before looking his team members in the eyes. "Promise me y' won' jump t' any conclusions until I've told de whole story."  



	9. I Didn't Ask For This

Author's Note: Here it is! The "big one!" A lot of stuff is finally gonna get revealed, making this chapter REALLY long, so bear with me. But don't worry, I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve. I promise this won't have a weak, obvious ending.  
  
  
  
The entire X-team found themselves being herded towards the rec-room, at Scott's insistence. *Dear Goddess,* Storm thought while she stood inside the mansion's elevator. *I pray Remy has done nothing drastic.* Around her stood her teammates displaying various degrees of anger and anticipation. As usual Ororo remained the calm within the storm.  
  
As the elevator stopped she gracefully stepped onto the plush carpet and led the way down the hall. Seated across from the rec-room doorway was Gambit. Storm could tell he was tense, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped in front of him. His head was up and alert, eyes following each person into the room. It was a stance Ororo recognized, one he used before a heist. She made her way to his side when a hand on her shoulder restrained her. "Sorry chere." A masculine voice whispered in her ear. "But dis seat is taken." The voice sounded chillingly like Remy's, and she spun to eye its owner.  
  
Her mouth dropped in startlment at what she saw. "Goddess it's true." She whispered, taking a step back to examine the boy. He stood a few inches shorter than Remy, his face was rounder, less angular than Gambit's. His hair was redder, marked with a few familiar white streaks. He seemed a bit lankier than Remy, but his movements held the same controlled grace. However, his eyes sparkled at her, eerily identical to the ones behind her.  
  
"Spittin' image, eh Stormy?" Remy commented behind her, once she'd recovered from her shock.  
  
Turning around sharply she glared at him. "How many times must I tell you, my friend? Do not call me that." She walked over and sat between Logan and Hank. "I do see quite a resemblance." She answered as she got comfortable.  
  
* * * *  
  
While Luc held the attention of everyone in the room Gabby sauntered over to her father's left and dropped onto the couch. Reaching over she gripped one of his hands and squeezed it reassuringly. He smiled over at her in response, albeit weakly. Finally Luc took his seat on Gambit's right, and she watched all eyes focus on her father.  
  
* * * *  
  
Remy let out a deep sigh and looked down to the floor as he got ready to begin. "I spose y'all want ta know why y' here." He watched various people around the room nod in agreement before he began again. "I been keepin' some secrets from y' still." He held up his hand as a few team members started to talk, silencing them, and continued. "I didn't t'ink it was anyt'ing y' needed to know. Never knew dey'd hurt anybody." He sighed and looked between the two teens on either side of him. "But dese two bein' here proves me wrong. For dose o' ya who haven' met 'em yet, dis is Luc Henri LeBeau." He said nodding to his right. "And dis," he said, nodding to his left, "is Gabrielle Irene LeBeau."  
  
"Cut ta the important stuff, Gumbo." Logan growled. "Like why yah tried to kill Jeanie." Wolverine's statement caused a small riot to start in the room. The noise continued for a while, mostly yelling and pointing fingers. Remy couldn't make out a word, just the accusing stares burning through him.  
  
Gambit stood and looked up at the ceiling. "I've had ENOUGH!" He screamed, cutting through the noise and bringing a chill silence. "Dis ain' de Massacre!" He shouted. "Dis ain' not'in' I did, it's jus' what is." Convinced that the silence would not again be disrupted Remy continued. "I didn' ask fer dis."  
  
Rogue reached towards him with one gloved hand and gently touched his arm. "Ask for what, shugah?" She coaxed.  
  
Tears formed in his eyes as he looked at her. "Ta be born wit' de name Remy Essex. Ta be dat bastard Sinister's son." The shock in her eyes was echoed throughout the room, yet somehow it was comforting that not even Warren's eyes displayed any anger or accusation. Remy tried to choke back the next sentence, but it was too late. The floodgates he had forced closed for so long were now open and the whole story came pouring out of him. "Candra contacted Sinister, she wanted a way ta control the guilds by controlling the heir apparent. De only sure way ta do dat was to give birth to him. Sinister was tryin' to create de perfect mutant at de time. He figured he could take care of both at once. I was genetically engineered, using Sinster and Candra's chromosomes to create de perfect mutant." He let out a short laugh. "Perfect." He muttered. "Did ya know I'm an Omega?" he asked the occupants of the room. "T'ree times over?" he whispered. "I'm a telepath, an empath, an'," he paused for emphasis and charged the three cards that appeared magically in his hand. "I blow t'ings up. But I was too powerful f'r m'own good, an' Essex couldn' control me. Candra still wanted me for control over de guilds. A t'ief wit' de life an' de power." He shook his head as he studied the backs of his hands. "When I was four, Sinister let me go, didn' want Candra t' get her hands on de kind of power I had. I was only four! I figured my Dad," he spat the word violently, "had abandoned me." Tears started to stray down his face while he relived the memories. "T'ought dat I wasn' good enough!" He choked. "But survival was more important den him, and I survived." At this Remy stood and started pacing the open space in the room. "Candra found me. Pickin' Jean-Luc's pocket was no accident, Candra was controllin' everyt'ing. Course he wasn't sposed ta love me like a son. I wasn' sposed ta t'ink a' him like a father."  
  
He stopped pacing and stared out the window. "He loved me, even when my powers started showin' up." Turning abruptly he stared at Luc and Gabrielle. "S'funny, I t'ought he'd abandon me too. But my powers didn' scare him. Dough dey did stay Alpha for a long time, an' Sinister had blocked my telepathy long ago." Walking back to his seat and falling into it, he continued. "Den Seattle happened. I was on de job, takin' some rich femme I was sposed ta rob to a nice show. We were takin' our own little intermission in a back alley when I got attacked." Remy stared straight ahead, lost in his vivid and gory memories of that night. "I took de girl wit' me into de theater, t'inkin' de guy wouldn't follow. He jumped me in de lobby. I tried to keep de fight physical, till we fought our way into de audience." Remy's eyes focused out again, pleading with the people in front of him. "I didn' want dem to get hurt, so I tried to charge a card. T'ought dat maybe I'd scare de guy away. But somet'in' happened, the power didn' stop coming out of me." The tears coming down his face became larger now. "It kept pumping out of me, lighting up de floor, de stage," Remy let out an involuntary shudder. "De people." He whispered. "I panicked an' tried to pull it all back in, but I couldn' control it. De flow was jus' too strong. So I did de only t'ing I could t'ink of, I tried to run. But dat bastard wouldn' let me go, it was Sinister wit' dose damn red eyes." He stared back down at the floor. "Next t'ing I remember I was in his lab. He blocked m' powers, told me m' story." Remy looked up, watching the ceiling fan rotate. "I had already failed Jean-Luc. I had a chance at a family again. I was willin' t' do whatever it took ta be de good son." Once again, Gambit's pleading eyes focused on the room, settling on Rogue. "I was only nineteen." He stressed. "I was still a lost boy."  
  
Crying herself, Rogue stood and embraced Remy, offering him her shoulder. "I believe ya Remy." She whispered. "I believe ya."  
  
* * * *  
  
While everybody recovered from their shock at Gambit's story, Luc cleared his throat and made his was to the center of the room. Once all eyes were on him, he took over where his father had left off. "Now it's my turn to tell the rest of the story, though most of it hasn't happened yet." He looked over at his father briefly, still entwined with his mother, and despite the situation it warmed his heart. "As you all know, my Oncle Henri died last year, leaving Remy as the heir to the New Orleans Thieves Guild."  
  
"Wait!" Betsy said, stopping Luc before he could continue. "Wasn't Remy kicked out of the Guild at eighteen?"  
  
Luc shook his head, mimicking his father behind him and continued. "That's where things get interesting. Papa, excuse me, Remy was kicked out of the city of New Orleans, but not out of the Guild. You don't get kicked out of the Guild, they would've killed him." He said matter-of-factly, looking to his father for conformation. Remy nodded agreement and Luc went on. "This means that Remy is still the heir, and Candra will eventually get her way. Everything happens at Mardi Gras, 2012 in New Orleans. Assassins somehow managed to get into the parade and kill Jean-Luc sniper style as they passed. Normally Assassins don't resort to guns, but they were desperate. Of course at this point you're all dead." Looks of shock passed around the room while Luc went on. "When Remy inherits, Candra decrees that as payment for his father's death the Assassins Guild must surrender loyalty over to Remy, thus uniting the two Guilds." Luc laughed as he remembered the ceremony. "Things didn't go smoothly of course, but that was to be expected. It wasn't until years later that all the puzzle pieces fit together." Luc sighed and glanced over at Jean. "I'm sorry, but this is something that you'd be better off seeing than having me explain. Aunt Jean, could you?"  
  
Smiling at the name, Jean reached over and grabbed Luc's hand, linking with all the other minds in the room.  
  
* * * *  
  
"Ah!" Remy LeBeau shouted, swiveling around in his chair behind the monstrous desk. "Dere y'are Sinister!"  
  
"Hello LeBeau." The grating on steel voice replied, red eyes shining through the darkness to meet with red eyes. "Good to see you are as boisterous as ever."  
  
"Course." Remy smiled back, tipping his glass of brandy towards the figure in the shadows. "Man needs t'be happy when he can be. Specially when y'as powerful as me."  
  
"Of course." Sinister smirked and came forward out of the shadows. "I take it then that rumors are true, the Guilds have all been united under one leader?"  
  
"Oui." Remy replied leaning back and kicking his feet up on his desk. "Me!" He smiled pointing a thumb at his chest. "Even de Assassins, t'ough personally," he smiled leaning across the desk and lowering his voice to a whisper, "I still t'ink dey jus' street trash. But hey!" He shouted flinging his arms back. "De more de merrier, eh? So what c'n I do for ya t'day?" Remy asked, absently reaching for the deck of cards he habitually kept on his desk and rapidly shuffling them.  
  
Coming closer Sinister took the chair on the other side of the desk. "How are the children?"  
  
Remy stopped shuffling abruptly and cocked his head to one side measuringly before answering. "Dey're all doin' fine, getting' t' de point dat dey can show up dey're old Papa." He smiled severely at the man across from him. "T'ough I doubt dat's what y' were asking."  
  
Sinister smiled back coldly. "No, not exactly."  
  
Remy shook his head and looked down at his hands before looking the man in face and answering. "All mutants." He reported dutifully. "Pretty powerful at dat. Bishop's ..." he trailed off for a second. "Well, he's Bishop! Carmine's telepathic like her mother, took her name too. Luc shifts land masses and floors, don't ask me where dat one came from, you'd know better'n me. Calls 'imself Dune. Gabby's a converter," he continued. "Electricity, and she absorbs accents and verbalisms through touch, same as 'er mother did most everyt'ing else. Calls herself Static."  
  
"Excellent." Sinister replied. "You have done very well for yourself, my son. I am quite impressed."  
  
"Gee Essex, t'anks." He smiled sarcastically. "Good ta know dese genes o' yours'll be passed down, eh?"  
  
"Must you always be so pig headed LeBeau?" Sinister growled across the desk.  
  
Remy stood and pace the back of the office before turning sharply on Sinister. "Sorry, pere!" He spat the word in Sinister's face. "Must not've inherited de knack for emotional detachment." Slowly, Remy sat back down. "In case ya haven' noticed, dese're my children we're talkin' about."  
  
"They are my grandchildren as well." Sinister commented.  
  
Remy glared at him dangerously. "Not dat you care!" He leaned forward once again and stared Sinister straight in the eyes. "You aren't takin' dem."  
  
Sinister stood, brushing himself off. "We had a deal LeBeau." He practically growled at the thief. "You will carry through with your side of the bargain, I will have one of your offspring. If not these two, than another one."  
  
"Fine!" Remy shouted. "I'll jus' go knock up some prostitute if dat's all y' want. Y' should of said so before. Hell, I probly got a bunch of other kids wanderin' round."  
  
Sinister just shook his head. "Not just ANY child LeBeau. Your DNA matched with Rogue's provides unlimited possibilities. That is what I want."  
  
Remy visibly choked trying to get his next words out. "Yer a little late, mon ami." He fingered the gold band on his left ring finger as he looked down at the floor. "Roguie been dead ten years now."  
  
Sinister smiled at this show of weakness. "Then you have two options LeBeau. Either give me one of the children." He paused as he stared at Remy. "Or make sure she does not die, and produce me another child that way." Remy stared at him in shock at he graced the thief with a cold smile. "Either way if I do not get what I require it will be your children who will suffer the consequences." He turned and melted into the shadows as he left. "Good night LeBeau. I trust you will make the right decision."  
  
* * * *  
  
"That." Luc stated as the team woke out of their trances, "is why my sister and I are here."  
  
Silence reigned over the room, until a shocked and angered Rogue broke it. "You made a promise to that...that thing." She shouted at Gambit. "You promised him our children!"  



	10. I'm Nothing But a Monster

Author's note: Here it is, finally

Author's note: Here it is, finally! Chapter 10. Sorry it took so long folks, but I've been a mess lately. I got really sick for a while (2 weeks to be exact), and I really haven't felt like writing anything more. Plus finals and papers, nuff said. Hope you enjoy.

Remy just stared at the floor defeated as Rogue's words fell on deaf ears and Sinister's words played repeatedly through his head. "Not just any child LeBeau. I will have one of your offspring. Unlimited possibilities, that is what I want. I will get what I require or your children will suffer the consequences." The steely voice from the memory said the same things that the one in his own memory did, except at the time Sinister hadn't been so picky.

He looked up into the teary eyes of the woman whom Sinister claimed was his "perfect genetic match." Flirting with her hadn't been a game; neither had joining the X-men, revealing the Massacre. Everything had been planned perfectly, until the plan went horribly wrong. How could he possibly explain to the people surrounding him that up until a few months ago he had still been meeting regularly with Sinister, giving him updates about the goings on at the mansion? How did he tell them that Sinister knew every detail of their lives, down to the fact that Iceman wore tighty-whities? Could he tell them that Erik the Red was just one of Sinister's cronies, that it was Sinister who had pulled him out of Antarctica, that even Rogue leaving him there was part of a deftly crafted plan? Should he tell them that Sinister even knew about Rogue and him that cold Antarctic night? How did he tell the people he loved, the woman he loved, that they were all just a part of some master plan and he'd just been manipulating them all along? Somehow "I'm sorry" didn't seem to make up for everything he'd done.

He couldn't take the eyes staring at him any more. He couldn't take her eyes pleading with him to say it was all a lie, that even everything she didn't know was a lie. He couldn't take the people on either side of him, his children! Children he had promised to Sinister before they were even born. Children he'd never had or raised, but realized now that he loved more than his own life. "What kind of monster am I?" Gambit shouted as he leapt out of his seat and out of the room, running full force to wherever his feet would take him. In the back of his mind he knew he'd eventually end up on the roof, it was just a question of how far he'd run before he got there.

* * * * *

In the rec-room Rogue sat there and fumed after Remy's outburst and abrupt departure. "Ah can't believe it! Ah can't believe he'd do somethin' like this." She growled to herself, staring at the door Remy had run through. "Mah children! He promised that monster mah children!" She glanced over at Gabrielle and Luc before letting her gaze head back towards the doorway. "Who the hell does that swamp-rat think he is!"

Hank moved himself next to Rogue and attempted to place a calming paw on her shoulder, which she abruptly shook off. "Now to be fair Rogue." Beast said calmly. "I don't believe our Cajun friend knew that they would be your children at the time. You realize that he was not even aware of your existence until joining the X-Men."

Rogue turned and stared daggers through Beast. "That ain't exactly the point Hank! If they weren't mine, they'd be somebody else's. Remy knew he couldn't have children by himself, what the hell was he thinking!"

"I am afraid," Storm interjected into Rogue and Beast's private conversation, "that I must agree with you Rogue." She stared at the floor, and a few people in the room noticed that it was getting darker outside as she said her next words. "What Remy did is unforgivable. To kill is bad enough, but to give innocent life over to the hands of a murderer…children are precious, how could he sacrifice one like that."

"I see where yer comin' from, Ro." Logan replied, chewing thoughtfully on the end of a cigar. "But ya gotta remember, the Cajun did what he could to fix things. He went back on his word, somethin' I ain't never seen him do. If he hadn't realized he was wrong we wouldn't be havin' this discussion right now."

"I can't believe you're all still sticking up for him!" Warren, who had been pacing the room, stopped and shouted at Wolverine. "He is a worthless piece of scum! He's a murderer!" Warren was starting to turn red, making him appear an odd shade of purple as his shouts got louder. "Does it really surprise you that he'd sacrifice his own kids to save his ass?!"

"Don't you bad mouth him like that!" Rogue shouted up at Warren as he paced in front of her. "You say another word Worthington, and so help me God you'll be choking on your teeth."

"He was going to let Sinister dissect your children!" Warren shouted in Rogue's face. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" He hissed at her, inching dangerously close.

Betsy came up behind him and surprisingly grabbed him and pulled him back. "You are out of line Warren. Leave it alone, let Rogue think what she wants."

"He does have a point." Bobby added, leaning nonchalantly against a window frame. "Come on Rogue, you can't be that blind."

"Shut up!" Luc finally shouted at everybody in the room. "Did it ever occur to you there might be a reason Papa sent us?" He glared over at Warren, then at Bobby. "He could've sent Bishop or Carmine, Uncle Warren. Would you have liked that? I'm sure you'd much rather have met Carmine Angela Worthington LeBeau." His words sent shock like a current through Warren's body, and his wings mimicked his mouth as they fell limply and helplessly to his sides.

"Worthington LeBeau." He whispered almost silently.

"That's right." Gabrielle responded more quietly than her brother did. "She looks a lot like you, though she got Aunt Betsy's eyes." She smiled over at Psylocke who reached silently for Angel's hand. "But Papa sent us for another reason, he sent us so we'd be safe." She looked over at Luc who continued for her.

"Papa knew Sinister wouldn't be looking for us in the past. This way, even if we don't succeed, and you all still die Sinister can't find us." Luc smiled sadly over at his mother. "And if you all live," he sighed, "we'll have changed the timeline enough that Gabby and myself will probably never be born. Then Sinister can never have us."

The thought sent tears pouring down Rogue's cheeks as she looked into the eyes of the boy who might one day be her son. "No," she mouthed as she turned to look at her daughter. "No."

* * * * *

Remy wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting on the roof brooding, but he realized that he was starting to get cold as the rain began to soak through his clothing. "Stormy must be pissed." He muttered as he thought about how sunny and warm the day had been just hours ago. "Good job, LeBeau." He smiled. "Ya be real good at pissin' everybody off. Probably some latent mutant power." He laughed at the thought. "Yep, jus' add asshole to the list." He was actually about to break into a bout of laughter when he felt something approaching him from his rear, coming from the left. It took less than a second before he recognized the unsure movements as belonging to Rogue. "Girl." He shouted to her. "Ya gotta stop movin' round like a paranoid squirrel. Gonna make me nervous." That said he turned his head around to face her and flashed her a smile, eyes sparking in the murky dusk.

"I'm sorry Remy." She murmured, sitting down cautiously a few feet from him. Close enough to be friendly, but far enough away that she didn't imply anything more.

"Y'got nothin' ta be sorry for chere." Remy said, staring down at the slate shingles beneath him. "I'm de one who fucked up." He looked up at the cloudy sky, "Boy did I fuck up." He muttered. "I wouldn' blame ya fer hatin' me Rogue." He said as he finally got up the courage to look her in the eyes. She was about to say something, but he kept her quiet by the way he looked at her. "Why don' ya hate me?" He asked, unshed tears forming under his eyes.

Rogue just looked at him for a minute before she slid herself across the roof, next to his warm body and huddled there against him. "Cuz ah love ya, Remy." She stated plainly and they stared up at the clearing sky, at the first appearance of stars. "Ah've loved ya for awhile now, ah guess. It just took me a little while to realize how much." She laughed and looked up into his face. "Ah could probably forgive you for just about anything."

Remy looked down at her, staring deeply into her green eyes as the tears finally began to spill down his face. Shaking his head he stood up and backed away from her. "Some t'ings are unforgivable, chere." He said, fear showing in his ruby eyes. "Some of de t'ings I've done are unforgivable. Stay away from me, Rogue." He turned his back to her as he started to walk away. "I'm not'in' but a monster, I don't deserve t'be loved."


	11. You Can't Hold Grudges Forever

"I suppose we should get the two of you settled for the night

"I suppose we should get the two of you settled for the night." Beast sighed after Rogue flew out of the room. He turned to the teens and flashed them a toothy smile as he looked at them over the top of his glasses. "Unfortunately I'm afraid we only have one room open. If you mind sharing horribly I can arrange for one of you to sleep in the lab, though I'm not sure how comfortable that would be."

Luc shrugged and turned to Gabby. "Up to you, Gabs. What do you think?"

She looked meekly over at Hank. "Can we have separate beds?" She asked quietly. "Luc kicks in 'is sleep."

"Certainly." Hank said as he stood and stretched. Allowing the two to proceed him out the door he promptly led them down the hall, away from the rec-room and its remaining occupants.

As soon as the three were out of earshot Logan began pacing restlessly around the room, following the same path that Gambit had been using earlier. Abruptly he stopped in front of Jean. "What aren't ya tellin' us Red?" He asked, pointing his now lit cigar at her. "Those were the Cajun's memories, not the kid's. How does the boy have 'em in his head?"

Jean sighed and stood, starting to pace herself. "It's all so confusing." She said, making wide circles around the room. "Gambit has always been difficult to locate telepathically, and almost impossible to scan."

"Jean's right." Betsy added. "The only time I was able to get into his mind he was in a coma, and even then I couldn't get very far. Even in a comatose state he was able to detect me and lock me out. He has quite a formidable mind."

Jean nodded when Betsy had finished. "Truthfully," she told everyone in the room, "I've always suspected Gambit possessed some telepathic ability, the Professor was always suspicious of the same thing and I wouldn't be surprised if you agreed Betsy." Psylocke shook her head indicating she had also had some suspicions on that matter. "His shielding was always so solid, too advanced for someone with no psionic talent." She paused by the window, staring out on the lawn. "You're right, Logan. Those are Remy's memories, they're all in there. They're locked away, only a few can come out at a time, like a pinprick in a balloon. He gave Luc some sort of damper to shut them off. I can only get in when he lets me. Then it's like I'm sifting through a lifetime, trying to find something relevant." She let her forehead rest against the window and closed her eyes. "Admittedly, Luc has been very helpful in locating the correct memories. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Remy left him with some sort of card catalog for them."

"Yah still haven't answered my question." Wolverine practically growled from behind her. "How'd the kid get the Cajun's memories?"

Jean turned around to look at all of her team members. "I would guess that eventually Gambit gets his full powers back, at least his telepathy. Then before he sent them back in time he imprinted his own memories into both of their minds. The girl also seems to have a copy." She stopped and sat down in the nearest chair. "I have no idea who trained him, who he could've found capable of training an Omega class telepath, and I have no doubt that he isn't lying about being Omega class." She sighed again and looked down at her hands. This was going to be the tough part to explain. "It's obvious from how it was done that Remy learned control when he was older. His memories in their minds have such raw edges." She shuddered as she thought about what that meant.

Betsy verbalized her fears for her. "I can't imagine how painful that must have been for all of them." She too shuddered slightly and Warren instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist.

"How painful?" Sam asked innocently from where he'd been sitting silently through most of the meeting.

Jean shook the terrible images out of her head and began trying to explain. "Imagine," she told the group, "somebody taking a white hot poker and stabbing it directly through your head. Then imagine every bone in your body smashed and liquified then brought to a boil." Sam whistled, Scott cringed, and Logan shook his head sympathetically. "Multiply that by about 20, that's how it must've felt."

Betsy shook her head knowingly. "That's for the children." A look passed quickly between Psylocke and Phoenix. "I can't imagine Gambit survived the experience."

Cyclops looked between the two women before he dared ask. "You mean he sacrificed himself in the hopes that this would work?"

Jean shook her head sorrowfully. "That's what it looks like. It would be like what the Professor did to Magneto, only backwards. Charles had so much more control than Gambit could have possessed at the time, and with so much more power in Gambit's control it's hard to think that the process went simply." Jean almost laughed at the next thought that popped into her head. "Plus he was so much older. It's hard to imagine Remy as anything but the rambuncsious twenty-three year old we're used to dealing with, but when he did this he had to have been close to forty. Granted that's not old, but had he been younger he would have at least had a chance of recovery." She let her thoughts trail off as what she said sunk in with everybody around her.

Logan didn't need much time to think through what Jean had just told them all. He glared over at Warren meaningfully. "How does it feel to know the Cajun sacrificed himself for you and yer kid?" Logan leaned back with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Does that mean I'm supposed to trust him?" Warren shouted at the little Canadian. "He may change in the future, but he's still the person who cost me my wings."

Logan just laughed at him. "An' now ya got 'em back. You can't hold grudges forever, Worthington. They'll eat at ya like cancer till ya turn black." Logan turned to head out of the room, stopping only to toss one last sly comment over his shoulder. "An' you look bad enough blue, black certainly ain't yer color either pretty boy."

* * * * *

Hank opened the door and dramatically waved his arm into the room followed by a slight bow, indicating they should enter the room. "It's nothing fancy." Hank commented, indicating the amply sized room, furnished with two twin size beds, a desk, two nightstands, a full size closet, and a side door presumably leading to a bathroom. "However, I'm sure it will be perfectly accomodating for the remainder of your stay. At least until we are able to find one of you another room." Hank walked over to the closet doors and opened them, then did the same to the bathroom door. "Until then, the bathroom is plentifully stocked with towels, toilet paper, and any other sanitary products you may need. The closet has fresh linens, and the ladies were nice enough to provide you with some clothes to tide you over until they can take you shopping for some of your own." He then walked over to a small panel set into the wall with a single button in it. "There are speakers set up throughout your room, mind you they only can be used to send messages to you, they can't pick up any sound. This button here," he pointed to the square button on the panel, "activates the only microphone in the room, and you can use it whenever you need anything. It's a little less advanced than our comm badges, but it does the trick. Just keep in mind," Hank added as he headed towards the door, "that what ever you say will be broadcast in every room in the mansion, so try to save it for emergencies."

"Thank you." Luc nodded as he took in the room.

"You are very welcome." Hank replied as he reached to close the door behind him. "Pleasant dreams." With that Hank shut the door and left the two alone in their new room.

Gabby set about making up both the beds while Luc made use of the shower. It took them only a short time before both were ready to go to sleep. It had been a long day, but after Luc turned the lights off Gabby lay there and found that she couldn't sleep, something was missing. "Luc." She hissed over to her brother. "Luc." She said louder when she got no response.

"What Gabby." Luc yawned back at her from somewhere in the darkness.

"I can't sleep." She whispered to him. In the back of her mind this reminded her of when they were very little. Whenever Gabby had a nightmare as a child she would usually scurry into Luc's room and cuddle up in his bed with him. He would give her his stuffed cat Stripey to hold onto along with her Mr. T. Bear. She would stay there with him until her father realized where she was and would carry her back to her own room still sound asleep and tuck her back in.

"Just close your eyes." Luc whispered back. "You'll fall asleep."

She tried it for a few minutes but still couldn't manage to go to sleep. "Luc." She hissed at him. "It's not working."

"Jesus Christ Gabby." Luc whispered. "I'm tired! Just close your eyes and go to sleep."

"Luc." She whined over at him through the blackness. "I want T. Bear." It was something that Luc had teased her about up until a few days ago, that no matter what Gabby still slept with her stuffed bear she'd had since the day she was born. "I can't sleep without him." She whined even more.

Luc grumbled and got up out of bed. He came back a few minutes later with a folded up towel and shoved it at her. "Hold onto this." He hissed at her. "It's not T. Bear, but it'll have to do until we can get you a new damn teddy bear."

"Thank you Luc." She whispered at her brother as she hugged the towel tight. "Good night."

"Good night Gabby." He whispered back.

Still Gabby couldn't seem to fall to sleep. She stayed up all night crying into the towel Luc had given her and thinking about how different everything was here, and how much she missed home, how much she missed her Papa.


	12. We Gotta Get Outta Here

"After everyt'ing I've put you through, chere, I wouldn' blame you for not wantin' to talk to me, an' I'm sorry

"After everyt'ing I've put you through, chere, I wouldn' blame you for not wantin' to talk to me, an' I'm sorry." Remy stated to the form sleeping in the bed before him. He'd never done this before, broken into Rogue's room. Normally he was invited freely, but tonight he needed to see her and she wasn't about to just let him in. He needed to apologize one last time for everything he'd done, and mostly for what he was about to do. "Dat's why I'm doin' dis here, 'stead of when you're awake. I know y' wouldn' wan' ta hear it. Least dis why I can make you listen."

Instinctively he drifted towards her bed, her back towards him. Sitting down gently he watched her shift slightly in response to his weight. "You're so beautiful." He murmured, deftly brushing a strand of white away from her face with his well-trained fingers almost touching her cheek. "I wan' you to know," he began quietly, "dat I didn' do dis to hurt you. I did it because I had to, did a lot o' t'ings I ain' proud of jus' cuz I had to." He shifted his gaze away from her profile, down to the floor. "If it hadn' been me chere, it would've been somebody else." He murmured to himself. "Fact is dat I love you, chere, don' matter how dat happened. Y'got a way of breakin' men's hearts." He stole a quick glimpse of her, a genuine smile flashing across his features. "If it hadn' been Remy's, it would've been someone else's." He repeated to her.

"It wasn' love at first sight you know." He stated suppressing a chuckle as he began shuffling a deck of cards he carried habitually in his pocket. "At first," he said, turning to look at her, "I couldn' stand you. Sure you were gorgeous." He stated matter-of-factly. "But you were de moodiest, bitchiest, most paranoid girly girl," he stopped for a second letting a quiet laugh escape. "Y' drove dis poor Cajun boy up a tree. I 'member beggin' Sinister ta sic me on somebody else. Told 'im I'd even take Logan over you." His laughter died off slowly as he stared at the therapeutic flipping of the cards. "Den ya had ta go an' change!" He said to the sleeping figure accusingly. "Guess I was good for ya, non?"

Getting up, Remy slowly began to pace the room, walking back and forth along one side of her bed. "Suddenly, you weren't a girly girl any more." He said, staring intently at the curves of her body as he continued his pacing. "You were still paranoid and moody," he said laughing, "and you were still a bitch, but you had spunk," he said fondly to the body before him. "Dat's when I fell in love with you." He stopped, and stood speaking to her back. "Dat's when you opened up an' let me inside. An' dat," he whispered shamefully, "is how I betrayed your trust so much."

Gambit let out a sigh as he fluidly fell to a sitting position on the floor, staring up at the rise and fall of her chest. "I been tellin' Sinister everyt'ing since I got here." He confessed quietly, watching the carpet below him. "I promised myself," he said, "an' I promised you, t'ough I never told ya, dat I'd never tell 'im any more." He looked up at her once again. "Made dat promise five months ago, but now I gotta betray dat trust." He let his head fall into his hands as he stared at her floor. "De only way ta stop dis, to prevent him getting' de kids is for me to go back to 'im and break off de deal." Slowly he stood and turned back toward her door. "It be de only way ta fix dis mess."

Like a shadow in the night he crept softly to her door and slipped through a surprisingly narrow crack, barely letting any light from the hallway seep through. Once the door had been shut silently Rogue rolled over and stared at the paneling where he had stood only moments ago. Finally, with him gone, Rogue allowed the tears to fall gently onto her pillow.

* * * * *

Remy had always cursed the person who had installed to Morlock tunnel entrance in the basement. It was a constant reminder of what he had done. Remy had a reason to fear the monsters in the basement. However, tonight he blessed the thick metal door that would lead him to Sinister without anybody ever finding out he had left.

With his photosensitive eyes, Remy didn't need to use a light to see the keypad as he quickly punched in the override code to enter the system and shut down the Morlock monitoring cameras. "Processing." The computer stated, followed seconds later by the command: "Please ready for optical scan." Placing himself before the computer's scanning lens he allowed the beams to run harmlessly over his retina. "Have to delete dat later," he mumbled while Cerebro processed. "Resident: Gambit identified. Scan #25796. Please enter commands now." Within minutes the computer responded to his commands. "Morlock security cameras off-line. Retina scan #25796 deleted. Locating scan record #25796. Record not found. Opening Morlock tunnel door. Exiting program."

Finally with the tunnel entrance open before him, Gambit ditched all the second thoughts he had been entertaining. Slowly he took a deep breath and stepped inside. In all the time since he'd been down there the tunnels hadn't changed. Moldy concrete still crumbled at the slightest touch, rusted steel girders creaked and moaned occasionally, and the floor was still littered with decomposing street trash. The entire place still reeked of mildew, rot, and blood.

He gave a card a slight charge, enough to light his way, and lead him through the correct passages, the ones with blood still smeared on the walls and bones still floating in ankle deep water. The X-Men had buried most of the bodies, but with so many it was easy to miss a few. He passed the chamber that held their tortured bodies laid to rest, passed the Chamber of Light where they had celebrated, passed the room where Warren had been mobbed, mutilated, and crucified. He walked on in stony silence while horrid scenes replayed through his head. For forty-five minutes Gambit experienced hell.

Suddenly a sterile steel chamber replaced the blood and gore. "It's you." He heard from his right as a tall imposing character melted out of the shadows. "Thought ya weren't comin' back." Sabretooth chided harshly.

"T'ought you were dead." Remy replied non-chalantly. "Guess appearances be deceiving, eh?" Remy reached into his trench coat pocket, removing a cigarette and lighting it with his fingertip. Staring at the larger man he took a long first drag and held it in for a few seconds before blowing the smoke out in Creed's face.

"That's a bad habit, kid." Creed growled, trying to shake the smell of tobacco out of his nostrils. "It'll kill ya one of these days."

Remy laughed, throwing the cig to the ground and crushing it out with an adamantium boot. "Where's Essex?" He asked, still leaning against the solid steel wall.

Without saying a word Creed turned and punched a few buttons on the door's keypad. "Waitin' for ya inside." Sabretooth smiled evilly. "I wouldn't leave him waitin' too long."

"I'll take dat into consideration." Remy mumbled as he walked through the door.

After about ten minutes of wandering passageways Remy reached the lab. It was strange that his walk through the complex had been uninterrupted by either security or the latest batch of Marauders. Yet nothing alarmed him more than when the laboratory door opened before he even had a chance to set a finger on the keypad. "So," the gear grinding voice called out from among the machinery, "the prodigal son finally returns."

Red eyes glared out from the darkness, locking gaze with burning red eyes. "Dis ain't a social call." Gambit all but shouted as he stepped into the enormous steel cavern and the door whooshed shut behind him.

"It never is." Sinister mocked as he stepped out into the open. "I take it we are still on unfriendly terms?" A smile spread across his deathly white face revealing teeth filed to a point. "Or have you changed your delightfully warped mind?"

Gambit continued to glare at Sinister as he took a seat near one of the gigantic computer terminals. "You would be proud of warpin' me." He commented dryly. "But de fact is I'm here to stop you from fuckin' up my life anymore." Sinister still stood facing him, smile in place. "Our deal is off." Remy said, punctuating each word sharply. Sinister's smile faded and a snarl started to form on his lips.

* * * * *

After three hours of lying on her bed unable to sleep Gabrielle decided it would be better for her to just get up and walk around. Luc was a light sleeper, and eventually her tossing and turning would wake him up. She was on her way to kitchen searching for a midnight snack when she saw somebody ghost past her in the hallway. Thief's skills clicking into action she followed the midnight walker down the hall and into the basement. It was times like these that she wished her eyes were as photosensitive as Luc's, he would have no trouble seeing everything in the near pitch of the basement at night. However, her slightly enhanced vision would have to do. Gabby was almost sure she had been seeing things, the person hadn't moved for over ten minutes. Then suddenly she heard Cerebro come on. "Processing. Please ready for optical scan. Resident: Gambit identified."

"No!" She mouthed silently, realizing the only place he could be accessing down here were the Morlock tunnels. Cerebro then confirmed her assumptions and she stood stock still when the door slid open almost silently. Then with a wave of his trench coat Gambit was gone. Instinct overtook thought as she ran blindly back to her room. "Luc!" She shouted, shaking him violently.

"I'm up! I'm up. What?" Luc yelled back in her face as he righted himself in bed. "Gabby breathe, what is it?"

She took a moment to catch her breath, before spilling everything. "I couldn't sleep, so I got up to go the kitchen and somebody inched past me in the shadows. So I followed, and it was Papa. He went down to the basement and into the tunnels."

Luc looked at her funny for a minute, processing the story she had told in record speed. "So?" He asked once he was sure he'd figured it all out.

"Don't you see Luc?" Gabby cried, flopping down on her bed beside him. "Papa's still workin' for Sinister. Sinister's down in those tunnels and Gambit knows it." Gabby fought back panic as she looked into her brother's eyes. Similar emotions were surfacing for him too.

"He's going to turn us over." Luc mumbled in shock as the facts registered slowly in his brain. "He's going to hand us over to Sinister." Desperately Luc reached for his sister's hand. "Gabby we gotta get outta here!"


	13. Keeping Secrets

Brother and sister ran down the hallway in a mad dash, the only sound they made the occasional swish of Luc's trench coat, the one his father had given him when he became a member of the Guild

Brother and sister ran down the hallway in a mad dash, the only sound they made the occasional swish of Luc's trench coat, the one his father had given him when he became a member of the Guild. Fuzzy childhood memories led them down corridors and through hidden doorways until they reached the armory. "Why we stoppin' here Luc?" Gabby panted; eyes wide looking at the mass amounts of weaponry mounted on the walls.

"I'm not runnin' empty-handed." Luc whispered to her as he lifted and tested the weight of different hand held rifles. "Sinister's still got those Marauders, Gabby. We haven't got a chance if we aren't armed." Finally satisfied with one of the plasma rifles he handed it over to her and grabbed one for himself. "Armed we might make it." Gabby nodded as she strapped the extra plasma clips on over her black fighter jacket. Luc did the same, letting them rest against his body suit underneath his black trench coat. Then he strapped an extra set of mini explosives to his left upper arm where he'd cut off the coat's sleeves. Satisfied that each was substantially armed he nodded Gabby towards the door.

Signing that the way was clear both siblings made a fast break down the hallway, taking more hidden passages up to the main floor of the mansion. "This'll be the tricky part." Luc muttered as he ensured the kitchen was clear and they made towards the main hallway.

* * * * *

After she was sure that Remy was long gone, Rogue got out of bed and slipped on her bathrobe. Gambit's little midnight confession had upset her and confused her all in one. Questions kept running through her mind, and even though she knew she wasn't going to get the answers by worrying about it they just wouldn't stop nagging at her. After about five minutes she was starting to get the fidgets and knew she'd never get back to bed unless she got up and walked them off.

Her terry cloth robe gave her little comfort as she kept thinking about Remy's words all the way down to the kitchen. Things like: How much did he tell Sinister, how safe are we here if Sinister knows everything going on, what kind of things did Remy tell him distracted her on her way down the stairs. Rogue was so distracted that she didn't hear the small argument ensuing in the kitchen before she had opened the door and it was too late.

* * * * *

Now that the original shock had worn off Gabrielle could think about what exactly was going on. "Luc," she whispered through the darkness towards her brother who was examining the window above the kitchen sink for any signs of surveillance or tampering. "What are we doin'?" She asked a bit louder than she'd intended on.

Luc answered her with a shush while he kept looking at the window. "We're getting' the hell out of here." He finally answered once he'd ascertained that the window was secure and moved on to the next one.

Luc was still operating under the fight or flight reaction every person goes through in a crisis situation. Unfortunately being a thief the flight part always won out, no matter what. The very first lesson you learned as a professional thief was that if something goes wrong you get the hell out as quick as possible. It was a lesson pounded into every trainee their very first day. It was the assassin's job to fight, thieves ran. Now that her adrenaline was running out Gabby was getting over her terror high and the flight syndrome was starting to weaken. "Luc." She said as she inched over to him. "Why don' we wake everybody up, dey'll protect us. Dey're de X-Men."

The statement sounded so ludicrous to his ears that his head snapped away from the window to focus on his sister's face. "No." He stated plainly, before turning back to the window.

"But Luc." Gabby tried to continue before he cut her off.

"I'm not riskin' their lives, Gabby!" He hissed louder than he'd meant. "This fight'll happen again later, they'll die then. Not now!" He finished with the second window and moved on to the third. "I won't have my family's blood on my hands."

"Maybe dey can get us out den." Gabby said aloud, forgetting her reason for carrying a plasma rifle and whispering secretively. "At least dey won' be taken in dere sleep."

"Do you want to turn over Papa?" Luc shouted a whole lot louder than he'd thought it would be. Just then the kitchen door swung open and both teens turned, weapons aimed in the dark toward whoever was behind the door. "Move and you're dead." He shouted.

* * * * *

"What in tarnation?!" Rogue shouted as what was going on and exactly who was aiming a weapon at her registered slowly. "Where in the hell didja get your hands on those?" She practically shouted at the two teenagers in front of her.

"Momma?" Rogue heard the girl squeak before the lights switched on. There the two stood, dressed in complete combat costume, all black. "Oh Momma," the girl practically cried, on the verge of tears. "Momma, ya gotta get us outta here." It was obvious to Rogue that Gabby still equated parents with safety and at the sight of her Gabrielle's guard completely fell. Luc's shoulders slumped and his weapon dropped nose to the floor. "Papa's gonna hand us over to Sinister." She cried, tears beginning to trace lines down her cheeks. "I saw him go into the tunnels."

At this, three words went through Rogue's psyche: Oh Jesus Christ. "Gabby, honey." Rogue began, holding out a comforting hand toward the girl. "Remy's doin' nothin' of the sort." Slowly Rogue told them and edited version of what had transpired just half and hour earlier in her room. "So you see, he's goin' ta break off that stupid contract he had with Sinister. He'd never betray you."

The tale was supposed to be comforting, but as she finished Rogue could see by the re-newed look of panic in both teens eyes that it was nothing of the sort. The only thing she got in response was from Luc. "It's starting." He mumbled expressionlessly before he locked crazed red eyes with her. "We have to wake everybody up." He shouted as both siblings started to run for the kitchen door at a break neck pace. "Quickly, we don't have much time."

Rogue shook her head confusedly before flying out after them. "Can Ah get an explanation here?" She asked.

"Later, no time," was the only answer she got.

* * * * *

The look on Sinister's face was starting to worry Gambit. He'd seen Sinister much angrier than he appeared to be right now, but the fact that he hadn't even blinked in the past few minutes was unnerving. He wondered if he should ask Sinister if he was all right, when finally the man let out a low growl and spun away from him abruptly, turning to the keyboard in front of him and starting to type at a furious pace. "Tell me Remy," Sinister asked gruffly from his place in front of the monitor. "Do you remember the conditions of our agreement?" The thought of those conditions caused Gambit to shudder involuntarily. "Exactly." Sinister growled, registering the slight movement. "Are you sure you wish to go back to your old life?"

The thought of having his full powers back made Gambit physically sick. The amount of destruction he could cause with just a thought was not only monumental, but also grotesque. In his lifetime Gambit had single-handedly destroyed farms the size of city blocks, and he had no doubt he could do the same thing to a city block. Plus there were always the voices, the thoughts of those around him that wouldn't go away, no matter what he did. It was the madness from the voices that made him lose control, made him kill so many people without meaning to. However, this was all nothing compared to the safety of his children and the woman he loved. "Yes." He said flatly.

"Very well." Sinister practically grumbled from his seat. "I warn you, LeBeau, the transfer may be quite unsettling." That said Gambit promptly blacked out as the nano-probes in his bloodstream began to self-destruct at regular intervals. The process went smoothly until Gambit's telepathy re-emerged, projecting his thoughts out to anyone in the area able to read them. Unfortunately for Gambit, one of Sinister's computers was designed to specifically pick up and display anything going on around it on the astral plane. Pictures of two teenagers flashed across the monitor while Sinister watched in interest, teenagers who resembled Gambit remarkably. The picture was accompanied by only one thought. "My children are safe." Sinister read off the screen, and an insidious smile spread across his face. "Vertigo, Arclight, Riptide." Sinister spoke into one of the intercoms. "Would you come to my laboratory, now!" He then settled himself in his chair and spun to face the Cajun, still unconscious on the floor. "You never were good at keeping secrets, LeBeau." He tsked at the motionless body


	14. BVDs, Gym Socks, and a Plasma Rifle

After ten minutes, most of the mansion's occupants had reached some level of awareness. A few, trusting to the better judgment of those who know what was going on, followed the teenagers' examples, waking their teammates as they ran down the hall, strapping themselves with any weapons at hand. Most of the team trudged along behind, still trying to shake the last vestiges of sleep from the corners of the consciousness. However, out of everybody awake enough to make sense out of the goings-on, it was Bobby Drake who raised his voice with the first protest. "I am not running around in the dark armed to the teeth without an explanation!" He finally screamed, stopping dead in the middle of the hallway, cutting the stampeding group in half, as those behind him came to a screeching halt to avoid colliding with him. "What is the big deal?"

This statement got the rest of the team thinking, as they too stopped rushing around in the dark and started to think about why they were doing it. Gabby and Luc stopped along with them, she switching her weight right to left in anticipation of running again, he visibly twitching from the stress. "I've had it!" Bobby continued to rant, dredded only in his BVDs, gym socks, and a toting strap for a plasma rifle. "For the past forty-eight hours we've been running around like idiots, and I still haven't gotten a straight answer about anything! Now I want to dknow what's so urgent that I can't put some freakin' pants on!" During his whole fit, Bobby continuously turned a deeper and deeper shade of red, until he looked like he was about to drop dead of a heart attack or aneurysm. Something at the back of lUc's mind reminded him of the time they'd woken Bobby up in the middle of the night with a bucket of warm water and how mad he'd goten. He remembered his mother telling them: "Do what ya want to Uncle Bobby, but mind you never wake 'im up. He's not a mornin' person."

"There's no time!" Gabby began to wail. From her movements Luc could tell that she was as likely to bolt and leave them all to ask questions later as she was to stay and explain. Unfortunately, Bobby'' little outburst had left everyone else standing stock still in the upstairs hall, giving him no choice but to provide an explanation.

Silently he placed a calming arm on his sister's shoulder and stepped forward. "Sinister knows we're here." He began. A few startled looks met his gaze, however most of his audience stayed their ground waiting to hear more. As he was gathering his thoughts a voice went straight to the heart of what he was getting at.

"We are missing one person." Storm stated, her voice breaking through the icy silence. After a few seconds she realized who was missing. "Where is Gambit?"

Before anybody could start questioning or accusing Luc answered her question. "He's wit' Sinister, but it ain' what ya t'ink." He held up his hand for silence, and they obeyed. "He went ta break off da deal. Dis wasn' sposed ta happen for anot'er couple a' years, but 'avin us here fouled it all up." Gabby was still shifting and twitching, wanting with all her heart to run, but knowing she couldn't possibly leave Luc behind. "In de future, Gambit breaks off de deal wit' Sinister when he gets ordered to infect all o' you wit' some new kind o' virus. Sinister decided if Gambit wouldn' do it, he'd do it 'imself, 'cept he got caught. Started dis whole big fight. Most o' you died in dat fight." He swallowed and centered his gaze on a few of the people present. "De virus acted pretty quick. De rest couldn' get out in time, 'fore de buildin' fell down around ya."

__

"Go back, Gumbo." Logan shouted above the sound of the smoke detectors and sirens that did nothing but create a distraction at a time like this. "Yer the only one that can get 'em out alive."

Gambit ran along beside him, limping slightly. "No way, homme, we all gonna make it outta dis. Dey safe where dey are, I gotta get Rogue and de others. I'm comin' wit' you."

Suddenly Logan stood before him in all his ferocious glory, claws bared, glinting orange and gray reflecting the smoke and flames that were engulfing the building. "I said turn back LeBeau. Let me worry about them, save yer kids."

Hesitating for only a heartbeat, Remy swung back the other way and ran full tilt toward the nursery. "Damn you Wolverine," was the last thing he shouted as he made his way through the falling rubble. It was the last time that he ever saw the Canadian alive.

"It's gonna happen again." Luc stated through the images of the memories that choked him as he spoke. "Don't y'see? We're all jus' another experiment. He'll terminate us if he can't see it through to d' finish." It was a realization he'd never allowed himself to fully face, but now saying it out loud made it all too real, and the look of defeat on his face contrasted sharply with the shock outlined on everybody else's.

After a few seconds shock turned to anger and defiance, and three words resounded through the hallway like music to the youngster's ears. "All right people," Cyclops shouted from the back. "Look like we have a job to do." Making his way to the children he started barking orders, people flying left and right securing the mansion in ways that Gabby and Luc hadn't thought possible. "What kind of time table are we looking at?" He asked Luc once he'd reached the boy's side.

"If my guesses are right," Luc thought out loud. "Den dey probably already here."

* * * * *

"Ouch!" Vertigo shouted as she stumbled into yet another large and heavy piece of furniture.

"Quiet!" muttered Arclight, inspecting the next room stealthily from the doorway. "We're trying to catch them by surprise."

"I know." Vertigo whispered back. "But there's just so much stuff in here." Picking up an ornate pillow strewn haphazardly on the floor she tossed it to the side, knocking over a pewter candleholder with a sharp clang.

"Incompetence." Sinister sighed, catching Vertigo unawares and slitting her throat, letting her blood run red all over what was a beautiful oriental carpet. "We'll come back for her later." Beside him Riptide whimpered nervously as he accidentally nudged a table, knocking over a picture frame with a quick "thwap". "The last bunch was more useful." With that he strolled through the rest of the room, lugging the lifeless body of Gambit along behind him as if it were no more significant than a sack of dung. Leaving it finally to lie across the floor of the grand hallway at the bottom of the staircase, he motioned for Arclight and Riptide to follow suit, circling slowly around to hide behind the balustrade. "I've heard," he shouted up the stairs, his voice reverberating like screeching metal throughout the upper floor, "that X-Men always come for their own." The two Marauders waited tensely for the first wave of X-Men to come down the stairs however, the noise only seemed to be reawakening the lifeless Cajun, as he let loose groans and whimpers. "Will you come for this one?" He asked mockingly, somehow managing not to raise his voice above conversation volume. As Remy started to get reacquainted with his limbs, Sinister delivered a kick to his abdomen, making him reel and pass out again.

* * * * *

It had been the noice of the clanging pewter that had really given them a clue as to where Sinister was. The team had not been idle after Cyclops had first rallied them. Sinister was expecting to find most of them upstairs asleep, with maybe a few down in the cellars monitoring security or working in the lab or Danger Room. Instead they were strategically positioned throughout the mansion's ground floor, waiting only for a signal to strike. The clang had given them a point of reference; the thwap had confirmed it, now they needed a sign that would let them know to attack.

Hank and Warren found themselves huddled by the rec-room door, listening for any sign of activity beyond. Waiting for a voice to let them know it was the time to strike. They wanted to catch Sinister off guard, so they'd decided to strike while he was thinking of what to say to goad them into action. "Will you come for this one?" echoed to them faintly off the lacquered walls as they pushed the door fully open.

"Warren." Hank said as they stalked towards the main staircase. "You have always been a wonderful friend. I want you to know that I have treasured the time we have spent together."

Warren just grinned back. "Hank, shut up." He snorted. "We're all gonna make it through this."

"I wasn't aware," Hank countered in a whisper, "that you were also a pre-cog my feathered friend."

"Just call me Futurama." Warren whispered back.

Hank just sighed. "That show will never make it as far as the Simpsons." With that comment they were right outside the hall, just steps away from Sinister.


	15. Peaceful Nothingness

As far as Gabby was concerned this was taking too long. Sinister should have been there by now. "Will you come for this one?" faintly echoed to her and Luc from somewhere above. She was itching just to move, but she hardly dared to breathe. Any noise would break Luc's concentration, and they were depending on him. It was something Luc had never done before. Gabby still didn't quite understand what he was trying to do. As far as she could grasp Luc was looking through Jean's eyes upstairs and trying to use her perceptions to manipulate one small sections of the floor upstairs. What he wanted to do was pull the floor down, rip it open and deposit Gambit downstairs and out of harms way. Gabby stood ready with a Genoshan collar to shut him off from his new powers, ensuring that he wouldn't be able to harm himself. Once Gambit was out of harm's way the battle would begin.

* * * *

Sweat beaded on his forehead, dripping down into his eyes. Desperately he tried to block out all his physical experiences, focusing solely on the picture Jean sent him. It was fuzzy, and he couldn't quite tell where Gambit ended and Sinister began. The more he tried to focus it the more distorted the image became until he found himself guessing. _I can't let him down,_ Luc thought. _Ya taught me better'n that Papa._ Taking a deep breath, Luc reached out with his powers through Jean's body. It was an eerie feeling.

* * * *

Gabby watched silently as the roof above her started to buckle, steel support beams bending, stretching, then cracking. _He's doing it_! She thought. It took less than a few seconds for the floor to finally split open and she watched as …_Sinister!_ fell through the hole and onto the floor in front of them.

* * * *

Arclight watched as Sinister seemed to be sucked down and then through a gaping hole in the floor. She had no time to react as a crimson beam shot through the air from her right, killing her on contact as it burned directly through her spinal cord. Riptide was luckier. Immediately he began spinning, metal objects hurtling everywhere as the still hidden X-Men cowered behind whatever they were using for shields, all except for Rogue. "What are you gonna do Rogue?" Riptide screeched from his cyclone.

Rogue just continued her march toward the spinning figure; metal clanging as it bounced off her invulnerable body. Spinning this fast he would be hard to catch, but for somebody who was impervious to puncture wounds not impossible. Finally reaching the spinning Marauder Rogue punched into the whirlwind of spinning shrapnel, connecting with something. The spinning stopped, and Rogue reached down grabbing Riptide by the neck and snapping it. "That," she spat on the lifeless body, "is what ah'm gonna do!"

* * * *

Remy wasn't sure what was going on. His legs felt as if they were dead, weighing him down as surely as if they were lead. His arms were sore, like that feeling you get just after a charlie horse. It was weird, but he felt like the floor was moving underneath him, then it stopped when he heard some sort of snap. He opened his eyes, but couldn't seem to focus, all he could see were blurry moving shapes. Then he started to hear voices. "Whoa Scott, I thought you could only set those things to stun." That sounded like Iceman he thought absently as he realized that his ribs REALLY hurt. "This ones dead too." That sounded like Warren. "What do you think is going on down there?" That was Sam. Then there was another weight on his shoulder. "Think you can sit up Cajun?" That was Logan. He felt himself nod yes, and hands helping him to sit up. The voices were gone. _That'd be Jean_ he thought to himself as he leaned himself against a solid surface. His toes were just starting to tingle and he was going to venture attempting to stand when one scream managed to cut through Jean's mental shield, followed immediately by another. "Luc!" he found himself screaming, floundering helplessly towards the hole he just realized was right next to him, going down twenty feet into the darkness of the sub-levels. The shock threatened to overwhelm him, throw him back into unconsciousness, but he fought it desperately as he inched towards the gaping pit.

* * * *

Sinister landed on his two feet and looked over his shoulder at the boy who had managed to take him out of the fight. He recognized the child immediately. "How nice." His voice ground through the children's ears. "I was going to look for you, but you've made it easy for me." Faster than lightning he closed the four-foot gap between himself and Luc, grabbing him by the neck. "Luc!" The girl screamed behind him as Sinister stared the boy in the eyes. "Worthless." Sinister stated coldly as he broke the boy's neck in one solid movement.

* * * *

"NO!" Rogue screamed as she watched helplessly from above while her son's lifeless body fell to the floor in a heap.

"I recommend staying out of this child." Sinister responded to her shout as he inched more slowly toward Gabby. Flying in Rogue tried to physically pull Sinister back, but even with her super strength it was useless. An energy blast hit her full in the chest, knocking her backwards, unconscious into the steel wall. Hank stood to the left, waiting for a chance to jump. He was still waiting for his chance when Sinister hit him with another energy bolt.

* * * *

Gabby crouched where she stood, perhaps less than ten feet away from Sinister. From this close she could smell the reek of sterility that emanated from his pale metallic armor. Her gaze passed over toward her brother. _Luc!_ She choked the thought back. Right now she had to stay cool. _Mourn later, live now_. Her fear left her almost paralyzed, simply watching the gigantic approaching form as all her worst nightmares came true. It was all over before it began. She silently wished that she could join Luc, wherever he was as Sinister came within a breath of her. Pale, cold fingers reached out and lifted her chin, forcing her to stare into those cold red eyes. His touch made her tremble. Deep down she raged against him, wanted to lash out against this walking figure of death. It was that part of her that reached for her father's bo-staff hidden against her thigh, modified with an assassin's blade attached to the end. It was that part of her that released the mechanism, telescoping the bo out and putting the blade through Sinister's abdomen. It wouldn't hurt him, only infuriate him, but that small part of her refused to fall silently into his possession.

Stepping back a fraction of a breath from her, Sinister pulled the blade out of his body and watched as the hole healed itself within seconds, then he did what Gabrielle never expected, he laughed. "You," he stated coldly, "have potential." With that Gabby silently wished for peaceful bliss soon as he grabbed for her waist and hoisted her over his shoulder.

* * * * *

Gambit wasn't quite sure how it happened, but suddenly he was falling. The floor had opened up and swallowed him, and somewhere below somebody needed his help. Colors were fading in and out of his vision as he touched the floor beneath him gently with his fingertips. He thanked the gods that be for his soft landing as he turned to see the scene before him. "A damsel in distress." He said quietly as he stalked behind the man who was carrying the struggling girl from out of the house.

Maybe it was Jean's shields, maybe it was the drugs finally leaving his system, maybe it was the renewal of his powers, or maybe it was the work of the gods but suddenly everything became clear. He felt Rogue slumped against the cold steel, Luc's body laying still on the floor, Hank starting to stir out of his induced slumber, and he saw his daughter being carried off to a fate worse than a thousand deaths. "NO!!!" He shouted as small objects around the room began to spontaneously combust. In a way he never had before, Gambit reached out with his mind, grabbing Gabby and ripping her out of Sinister's hold. "Ya can't have her!" He shouted at Sinister as the ominous figure spun around. "Ya can't have any of us!" Larger objects were now beginning to glow or spin. Some were doing both. Pieces of steel from the ceiling began to rise shakily from the floor, pulsing an eerie orange color in time with Remy's pulse. Sinister threw energy bolt after energy bolt at the cajun in return, but nothing could penetrate the field of pure psionic energy surrounding Gambit. "I'm threw wit' you Sinister!" Remy's eyes burned a pure red of fury as his shouts grew louder over the hum of the power he was letting loose in the room. "I don' need you anymore." He hissed at the pale figure and then let loose with his volley of explosive shrapnel.

The blast made Hiroshima look like a fire-cracker. White light flared from where it hit Sinister, engulfing everything in heat and flame. Remy strained to contain it all within a sphere the size of a VW beetle. Soon it was over but not soon enough. Walking over to the pile of ash that had once been Sinister, Remy fell to his knees from pure exhaustion. "It didn' have to be dis way, Essex." Remy mumbled. "All I wanted was a father, all I wanted was t'be loved. But you never saw me as more den an experiment." Falling further onto the still warm metal floor Remy glanced over to his son. With all the strength he had left, Gambit inched over to Luc's body, cradling the boy's head in his arms. "I'm sorry." He mumbled through tears as the darkness overtook him once more and he fell into peaceful nothingness.


	16. We'll Be Waiting for You

"Shit I need an aspirin," were the first words she had heard him utter in over two weeks. Shock is what Hank had called it, shields that had kept him sheltered for so long suddenly disappearing had caused his psyche to stay in that state even after his body had fully healed. After all this time the words were music to her ears. "I'm tellin' ya Gabby, I need…" He let his thoughts trail off as he realized his eyes were still closed. She smirked. "How th' hell?" Slowly he opened his eyes to see if his guess had been right, then wished he hadn't. "Holy Fuck! It's damn bright in here, be a doll chere and turn off de lights."

"How's dat?" Gabby asked, flicking the switch and returning to her seat by his bed.

"Merci beaucoup cherie." Opening his eyes again, more cautiously he stared at her for a good few minutes before he finally said anything. "'Ow come I c'n see t'rough you?" He whispered, "An' 'ow'd I know it was you?"

She laughed, filling the room with the sound of tinkling bells. "You've gotcher powers back now…all've 'em," she finished, answering his unspoken question. "What do you 'member?" She asked, avoiding his other question for the time being.

Remy thought back, the last thing he could remember was really hazy. He related the trip to Sinister's lab perfectly and knew nothing more until he woke up at the bottom of the stairs. "Den dere was voices," he said slowly, struggling to pull the vague memories to the foreground. "Den…a 'BOOM', big one!" He stated definitively, "Den…um…" She watched as the horror crept over his face as he truly started to remember. "Sinister! I blew 'im up…cuz of…why'd I blow 'im up chere?" She just shook her head, in essence telling him to figure it out. "I blew 'im up cuz he did somet'ing." Remy sat on the bed, head now in his hands trying to guess the specifics of what had happened and why. Then all at once it hit him. "LUC!" He shouted, the heart wrenching sorrow echoing throughout the room.

"What?" Came a muffled, half answer from a pile in the corner. Painfully, a figure pulled himself up from the heap of sheets, blankets, and cushions in the corner. Red on black eyes burned through the darkness, stepping into the light from doorway the boy appeared as shadowy and ghost-like as his sister. The only difference were his eyes, burning brightly.

"Yer alive!" Remy yelped, trying once again to fight with his memories while fighting with his consciousness at the same time. After a brief struggle he let go of his memories, holding onto his awareness for dear life and somehow managing not to pass back into dark oblivion.

"Sorta." Luc shrugged from where he half stood half floated. "Guess we owe you an explanation before we go." Remy just sat gaping at the boy he had been positive was dead, and now wasn't entirely sure was still alive. "Here's what happened:"

* * * * *

Luc strained to finally force the beams to break, and was rewarded with the yielding of the last support. As the rubble and dust settled Luc closed his eyes and took the time to let his mind reacquaint itself with his body before looking into the Danger Room below. From the first glimpse through Jean he knew he couldn't be exact, he'd given the signal Betsy in plenty of time to call up the newly made sequence of himself. When he was able to see through the dust he watched as Sinister dropped the mauled android still covered with a hologram to look like himself. Then Sinister turned and began to stalk his sister, Luc pounded on the window, but there was no way to get down there before Sinister had Gabby and had transported her out of mansion.

It was then that Gambit fell through the hole, cushioned by Jean's telekinetic pillow. He seemed dazed for a moment, but then his eyes refocused solely on Sinister who was walking away. With a thought, it seemed he broke Jean's shields from the inside and pulled Gabby out of harms way. Luc watched stunned as random items in the room began to glow and levitate and shimmering shield formed around Sinister. It felt like hours, but was in reality only seconds before those objects got flung through the shield without perforating it, detonating once they made contact with Sinister's body. The explosion seemed to only last seconds, but really it continued to burn and flash for minutes before Remy let the shield drop and fell clumsily into the ashes. Rogue and Beast were just starting to gain consciousness as Remy crawled over to the damaged android and cradled it. After moments he passed out again, the program shut down and the entire team converged on the downed cajun.

* * * * *

"It took Rogue to finally pry your hands away from that robot." Gabby laughed. "Then I clamped the collar on you, Hank grabbed you, and you've been lying here practically catatonic for two weeks."

Remy sat there and let this information settle into his head before he said a word. "So…," he started slowly, "if you ain't dead how come I c'n see t'rough ya?"

"Oh, dat." Luc shrugged again. "We don' really exist anymore. In fact I t'ink you and Mama are the only ones that c'n still see us at all." Gabby put a reassuring hand on Remy's shoulder while Luc continued. "We done what we came f'r, we changed t'ings enough dat Gabby an' I can' exist."

As he spoke, Remy noticed that the pair was getting more and more translucent. Even Luc's eyes were starting to fade into the background. The thought of not having them, ever, made his heart spasm. These two were a part of him. "What if I don' want dat?" he asked innocently.

"Oh, don' worry Papa!" Gabby smiled, attempting to put arms Remy could barely see around him for comfort. "Jus' cuz it won't be us doesn' mean dere can' be a Luc n' Gabby. 'Sides, we'll be waitin' for ya, wherever it is that we all end up."

Remy hadn't believed in heaven or hell since he was a small child, but somehow the idea of having them waiting comforted him as he watched them fade into nothingness before him. Experimentally he whispered to the air, "Gabby, Luc?"

"They'ah gone, aren't they?" A distinct southern voice drawled from the doorway.

Remy nodded as silent tears fell, without a word he opened up the shields he just realized he'd set up around himself. With little effort he pulled Rogue's essence in to himself as she moved toward his bed physically, letting his sorrow show itself to her in the only way that he knew how to fully express it. It was a strange feeling, not exactly of loss but more of fear and uncertainty. He was satisfied when he found her feelings were the same as his, it made him feel less strange to know he wasn't alone. With that sharing of emotions it was over, not to be discussed in words ever again.

With that the old cajun smile reappeared on Remy's face. "So, how much've you missed me dese past weeks?" He whispered playfully in Rogue's ear.

She smiled back and pushed him away lightly. "Ah haven' missed ya a bit swamp rat." She stated indignantly, "Ah've been down here with you every day."

"Loyalty like dat deserves a reward." He said smiling at her devilishly. Somehow he felt even more alive now than he had before he'd been beaten to a pulp. He didn't quite know what he was doing, but somehow managed to form a telekinetic field, so close to his skin it felt like a second skin and so thin that he could feel her breath through it. Before she could flinch away Remy reached out and ran a bare finger deftly down her cheek.


	17. Epilogue

AN: The epilogue because you asked for one. It kind of hit me right after my sister-in-law had my nephew just what it was really like having a baby, so I thought I'd add a little bit in here.

Hank smiled, and put an extra bounce in his step as he walked out of the med-lab to see who was on duty. Since Rogue had gone into labor twelve hours ago each member of the team had been taking turns waiting outside for the news. Somehow it seemed appropriate that Warren was the one on sitting in the hallway. "Well!" He shouted, practically pouncing on Hank as soon as he cleared the doorway.

Hank tried, unsuccessfully, to wipe the grin off his face for a few seconds before Warren came dangerously close to strangling him. "Well, it would seem we finally have a new addition to the Family Known as X." Hank beamed, almost as proud as a parent at this news.

Warren didn't seem quite so satisfied. "Luc or Gabby!" He shouted at the blue furry doctor. It had been pretty much decided by the parents within the first months of Rogue's pregnancy that there was really no point in trying to come up with any other names, so everyone in the mansion had taken to calling the baby Luc/Gabby already, depending on preference.

Hank loved to make people mad. "Both baby and mother are doing fine." Hank continued, oblivious to the sneer he was getting from both Warren and Storm who had just shown up to relieve him from duty and had been privy to the conversation.

"Henry!" She shouted at him, fed up. "I do not have the patience for this. Everybody has been waiting for the past twelve hours. Now is it Luc or is it Gabrielle?"

For a few seconds Hank pondered continuing to leave the two hanging, then realized he could cause more commotion just by answering the question. "Luc." He stated plainly which caused Warren to go speeding up the stairs like his wings were on fire to tell everybody else. Storm was about to follow when Hank put a restraining hand on her arm, steering her towards the infirmary. "Ororo, I may need your assisstance in here." He added seriously.

A look of dread passed over her smooth complexion at his tone. "I thought you said that mother and child were doing wonderfully." Ororo stated, concern lurking behind her catlike blue eyes.

Hank shook his head. "Oh yes, they are doing splendidly. It's Remy that has me concerned, I believe the poor man collapsed a lung. Not to mention the broken hand."

A slow smile crept over Storm's face. "Tell me Hank, you are not serious."

Hank just laughed and led her through the door. "Quite, unfortunately for him even without her powers Rogue has quite the grip. And I also fear that lamaze was not exactly designed with coaches in mind. I warned them that drugs might be the more appropriate approach, perhaps they will heed my warnings next time."

* * * * *

She had to admit, Remy looked quite the pathetic figure draped across the cot. His normal scruffiness was even more pronounced since he hadn't shaved through this whole ordeal, his hand was bandaged to the point that it looked like a boxing glove, and to make matters worse he sported one brilliantly colored black eye. "Dat you Stormy?" He asked, squinting with his one good eye to get a look at his visitor.

"Why do you not listen when I tell you to stop calling me that?" She giggled, taking in his appearance. "I have seen you come out of alien wars looking better than this my friend."

Remy laughed too. "What I don' understan' is how I ever let myself go t'rough dis a second time." He winced as he moved to the right a little bit. "Henri says I collapsed a lung in dere, an' look at dis," he commented, using his good hand to point at the broken one. "She broke my t'ievin' hand, I ain' gon' be able ta pick locks fer at least a month." He whined.

"Good." Storm stated sitting down on the cot next to him. "It will keep you out of trouble for that long at least." Smiling she brushed some strands of hair away from his face to get a better look at his eye. "Where did the shiner come from?"

"Oh dat," he shrugged. "She punched me when I tol' her dat I didn' t'ink he was mine. Said he looked like Xavier." Storm just laughed. "Y'know, wit' de bald head an' all, got some resemblance."

"So you've seen him already." Storm asked, sitting him back so she could put a cold compress against his eye.

"Oui," Remy sighed, "for a few seconds, den Hank said he t'ought I was gonna pass out an' made me lay down over here." He just smiled while Storm continued to ice his eye. "He absolutely beautiful dough Stormy," he let out another sigh as he focused his good eye on her. "An' he got good lungs, he quite a screamer." Storm just laughed.

* * * * *

"Hey Papa, t'ink ya can fly up to New York sometime soon?" Remy said into his cell phone on the way back from the grocery store.

Jean-Luc cringed and flipped through his calendar. It always seemed Remy only wanted to seem him when he was in trouble and needed bailing out. Last time it had been 4.5 million dollars, this time who knew what he wanted. "I don' know fils." Jean-Luc said, turning to look out the window. "I got a lotta business comin' up right now, can it wait?"

"Oh." Maybe it was just him, but Remy seemed dissappointed. "No, dat's fine. It was nothin' important really."

Relief filled Jean-Luc at the thought that whatever it was Remy wanted, it wouldn't be expensive. "I'll try to come up by de end of de year, sound fair?"

"Sure, Papa, dat's fine." Remy answered.

"Great." Jean-Luc turned back to his desk and began working on the letter he had been writing before Remy called, reasoning he could get the small talk over with while he worked. "So how's Rogue?" Jean-Luc asked, thinking how glad he was that Remy had finally married that little southern spark plug he'd been dating off and on for over seven years a little more than two years ago.

"She's great." Remy replied, then Jean-Luc wasn't sure but he thought he heard a baby cry in the background. "Papa, can you hold on a second?" Then the sound of the phone being put down until Remy picked it back up after a few seconds.

"Remy," Jean-Luc began, sounding just a little suspicious. "Is dere somet'in' ya want ta tell me, son?"

"Don' know what yer talkin' bout." Remy answered in his usual, 'I know exactly what you're talking about but you not going to get it that easy' voice.

"Remy I heard a baby in de backgroun' jus' b'fore you put de phone down. What are you hidin' from me?" Jean-Luc said exasperated.

Remy's answer was all smiles, Jean-Luc could've heard them from a mile away. "Congratulations, Grand-pere." Remy answered proudly. "Dere's a little boy up here who be jus' dyin' ta meet ya."

"You know, Remy," Jean-Luc stated. "Dese surprises o' yours gonna make me de shortest lived guild leader yet, I swear to God."

* * * * *

Rogue smiled down at this new little addition as she rocked him back to sleep for the third time that night. "Ya know," she whispered to him conspiratorially, "feel free to wake up Daddy one o' these nights. Ah'm sure he'd jus' love doin' the whole midnight feeding thang."

Luc just cooed back at her, waving his little arms and his tiny little fingers grabbing tightly to the sleeves of his nightie while his bright blue eyes began to close. Hank had promised her that his eyes would change in a few weeks, if they were going to. But for right now he was marvelously perfect. His little feet were so tiny though, Rogue was always afraid that she'd hurt them putting on those teeny little socks. Finally his breathing slowed and took on a definite rhythm and Rogue reasoned it was safe to put him back down without waking him again. This was the worst part for her, putting him down. The only way she ever brought herself to do it was rationalizing she'd be able to pick him up again in the morning.

Winding the mobile to play soft music just for a safety, Rogue made her way back to bed, hoping she would get some sleep. Jean-Luc was coming up in the morning to meet his grandson, and Mystique would be stopping by in the afternoon. Perhaps now that Remy had given her a grandson putting the Remy and her mother in the same room would not become World War III. Either way Rogue would need all her energy to get through tomorrow.

As usual, Remy had taken advantage of her absence and laid claim to the entire bed. Truthfully, Rogue didn't mind. The man absolutely radiated heat in his sleep. Laying next to him was torture in the summer, but on cold winter nights like this he was as good as a hot water bottle. She gently nudged him over and climbed into her own spot in the bed, falling back to sleep with dreams of tiny fingers, tiny toes, bright blue eyes, and baby smiles.


End file.
